Eskom dismisses ‘disinformation’ EFF peddled about CEO and subsidiary’s COO

Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha has said the claim by EFF that the power utility’s CEO, Andre de Ruyter “has a long track record of working” with newly appointed COO at the entity’s subsidiary, Roteks Industries, “is disinformation”.

“Andre de Ruyter has never met [Stephen] Meijers before and he has never worked with him,” Mantshantsha said, reiterating that the Eskom CEO has never worked with Meijers and has never met him before De Ruyter joined the power utility.

“This is disinformation on the part of the people peddling this information,” said Mantshantsha.

The EFF had claimed that Eskom was being used to “recapture the state in the interests of a tiny group of white racists, and an even tinier group of obedient blacks”, following the appointment of a COO at one of the power utility’s subsidiaries.

In a statement noting the appointment of Meijers as the COO of Roteks Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eskom, the EFF called for the safeguarding of the company “at all costs” and that it be “kept clear of political manipulations by the ruling elite”.

The red berets alleged that since Andre de Ruyter’s appointment as Eskom CEO, “a shameless takeover” of the power utility and companies linked to it has been happening, with “a group of white friends” behind it.

According to the EFF, Meijers is a former CEO of a company that has had contracts with Eskom, ELB Engineering Services, which as also had contracts at Sasol, at the time de Ruyter was employed at the latter entity, alleging that the two worked directly with each other during said time.

“Mr de Ruyter has a long track record of working with Mr Meijers… and it seems as if this relationship did not bother those who took the decision to employ Meijers.”

The party further alleged that Meijers was “kicked out” of ELB in 2019 after allegedly leading the company to financial losses, which it said has resulted in the company being placed in business rescue in 2020.

“It, therefore, boggles the mind that Eskom should entrust such a man with such critical responsibilities as engendering the philosophy of maintenance of Eskom of power plants.”

The red berets said when de Ruyter announced earlier in the year the intention to appoint a COO at Roteks, it has “every reason to believe” that the Eskom CEO “was already planning to create a job for his friend”.

The EFF questioned whether de Ruyter sat on the panel that interviewed Meijers and if so, did the former declare the “relationship” he apparently has with the latter. This publication has posed this and other questions to the power utility which is yet to respond.

“If he did not, then the whole recruitment process is a sham and should be dismissed as such.”

The party alleged that the power utility is being used “in the most villainous of forms to recapture the state for the interests of a tiny group of white racists, and an even tinier group of obedient blacks” like President Cyril Ramaphosa “whose only interest is lining up their pockets”.

“We must resist the reemergence of white arrogance under the leadership of Ramaphosa and we must fight against the renewed attempts to capture the state by white criminal elements.”

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