ANC vows to ‘trace De Ruyter, find him and smoke him out wherever he is’

The ANC has threatened to “smoke out” former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter, who the party claims went into hiding after publicly accusing ANC ministers of corruption and political interference at the power utility.

“He has gone underground. That bravery we saw on television about claims that the ANC is corrupt, we do not see it any longer in terms of the response,” said ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

“We will trace him, find him and smoke him out wherever he is because we are not going to allow anyone to say the ANC is corrupt.”

ANC can’t find De Ruyter

Mbalula made the remarks at the launch of “the people’s march” at Solomon Mahlangu Freedom Square in Mamelodi yesterday to the City of Tshwane.

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Mbalula’s warning comes after the ANC said it could not serve De Ruyter papers to compel him to say who the two ministers the former CEO said were involved in corruption at Eskom are.

Last Wednesday, he warned De Ruyter that should he fail to produce evidence of the ANC corruption at the end of the day, the party would go ahead with a lawsuit because De Ruyter’s allegations had tarnished its good name.

ALSO READ: Parliament wants answers from De Ruyter about Eskom graft, will establish inquiry

The developments come amid a Daily Maverick report on four crime cartels that have allegedly brought Eskom and the country to its knees. The publication linked two senior members of President Cyril Ramaphosa ’s Cabinet to the cartels. However, their names are yet to be revealed.

Tshwane march

The ANC is planning to march in Tshwane tomorrow in a bid to reclaim the metro, seven years after it was outed by the Democratic Alliance-led (DA) coalition.

Mbalula will be joined by Gauteng premier and ANC Gauteng chair Panyaza Lesufi, members of the ANC national executive committee and members and the ANC provincial executive committee.

ALSO READ: We can’t allow the ‘image of the ANC to be battered’, says Mbalula on De Ruyter’s claims

He said the DA had left the Tshwane metro worse than it was when the ANC was in charge but the DA has continued to blame the ANC for failures of the city.

“The problems of Tshwane can’t be blamed on the ANC maladministration or ill-governance. The DA should take responsibility for leaving the municipality bankrupt,” he said.