ANC contradictions on De Ruyter show Luthuli House is a paper tiger

You’d think once Luthuli House lays down the law, all party structures would comply, simply because it is the ANC’s powerful top brass national executive committee (NEC), its highest decision-making body.

But alas, the powers-that-be in 54 Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Street are not the tigers they appear to be …

Luthuli House issued a statement welcoming the appointment of Andre de Ruyter as the new Eskom CEO. But they were contradicted by none other than their own brainchild – the National Youth Task Team (NYTT) of whom the majority are ANC NEC members.

According to Luthuli House, the responsibility that De Ruyter accepted is one that must be shared by all South Africans whose wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of the energy utility … and the task of rebuilding and renewal must now begin with urgency and with unity.

“The ANC commends the board of Eskom and government for the rigour they applied in Mr De Ruyter’s selection for this onerous role … The ANC is confident that the appointment of the new CEO will strengthen its capacity to deliver reliable energy to South Africans.”

But while the ANC was appealing to everybody to unite behind De Ruyter, this message was not meant for the NYTT, which issued their own statement saying Luthuli House got it all wrong.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the NYTT statement came straight from the pen of the EFF’s Julius Malema or Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. They described De Ruyter’s appointment as “confirmation of the deep root of white privilege in SA’s boardrooms”. The task team said it viewed the appointment as a blatant disregard for skills and experience in the process of appointing an Eskom CEO.

And then they cast Malema-like aspersions on Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan: “The appointment of De Ruyter with his long history of eroding shareholder value in major corporations can only be explained in the darker corners of cronyism, which seem to be perpetuated by the minister of public enterprises and confirms that white privilege remains the order of the day in South African boardrooms.

“A black candidate with De Ruyter’s track record would have never been allowed anywhere near the shortlist, let alone been appointed as CEO of this important but ailing entity…. there exists no sound basis for such an appointment unless Gordhan is committed to collapsing Eskom completely.”

The NYTT was appointed by the NEC to replace the disbanded ANC Youth League to prepare for the election of a new ANCYL structure. Based at Luthuli House, they should know Pule Mabe and Ace Magashule had welcomed De Ruyter’s appointment.

But so many voices contradict each other within Luthuli House, even when they sit around the same table.

I wonder if all the NYTT members approved that statement, because the body is 90% ANC NEC members – and some are friends and others foes of President Cyril Ramaphosa. So don’t be surprised that the NYTT would often speak out of turn to embarrass Luthuli House.

This incident clearly shows Luthuli House is a paper tiger with no teeth. It’s no wonder ANC members supported the candidature of Morocco for chair of the Congress of United Cities and Local Governments, despite a strict instruction from Magashule that this should not happen.

They showed him the middle finger.

Eric Naki

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