ANC statement on Andrew de Ruyter’s unfortunate decampaigning tactics
26 April 2023
Reports have emerged that former Eskom Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andre De Ruyter directly oversaw and privately funded a dubious investigation conducted by former apartheid era killer Tony Oosthuizen under the questionable guise of attempting to assist law enforcement agencies to deal with corruption at Eskom. It is also reported that the "intelligence reports churned out by De Ruyter's agent made sensational and malicious claims about former Deputy president Comrade David Mabuza and National Chairperson, Comrade Gwede Mantashe without any credible evidence.
At the time when South Africans are starting to focus their attention on the upcoming 2024 National General Elections, it now becomes even more questionable as to what could have motivated De Ruyter's utterances against the ANC. It is curious why a CEO of a state-owned enterprise would go out of their way to affirm reports which are not grounded in an iota of evidence. This being the same Andre De Ruyter who accused the ANC of being out of touch with reality and instead stuck in a cold war era, is now found to be closely associating himself with dubious apartheid era agents that consciously supported a brutal system and have blood on their hands.
The ANC will not be distracted by underhanded tactics aimed at diverting us from a determined drive to renew our organisation. We encourage South Africans to trust the ANC with our countries transformation agenda. Recent independent polling of the 2024 National General Elections by Dr Frans Cronje, Inclusive Society and Ipsos finds that the ANC is likely to attain a victory of over 50%. The likes of De Ruyter are obviously disturbed by such data to a point of ending up soiling what otherwise could have been a clean reputation premised on his other positive contributions at Eskom.
Whilst it is true and public knowledge that to date law enforcement agencies have pointed at the fact that Eskom is besieged with corruption and a poor performance outlook, any information to this effect should be verifiable and authentic. At the core of unearthing information which points us to the weakest links within Eskom must be unquestionable efforts that can stand public scrutiny. Anything else will render justified and well-meaning efforts aimed at cleaning up Eskom unsuccessful.
The ANC commends media houses who conducted their own diligence and refused to simply rinse and repeat De Ruyter's questionable behaviour on their platforms. This gives hope and a timely reassurance that media houses have a semblance of independence.
We are deeply concerned about reports that the erstwhile CEO solicited funds from unknown sources that were channeled through Business Leadership. Even today during his appearance in front of a multiparty democratically elected parliament, De Ruyter continued with his duck and diving only once again to fail to take the nation into confidence. We call on the CEO Of Business Leadership South Africa and former boarder member of Eskom, Busisiwe Mavuso to take the nation into confidence and reveal how much was paid to apartheid era agents to launder "rooi gevaar" tactics and propaganda against ANC leaders.
Issued by Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, National Spokesperson, EFF, 26 April 2023
