DA lauds De Ruyter as a ‘national hero’ while EFF labels him ‘useless’
De Ruyter claimed that at least R1 billion was being siphoned monthly from Eskom’s funds.
André de Ruyter. Image: Gallo Images.
The DA’s John Steenhuisen has lauded outgoing Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter as a “national hero” for speaking out against the parastatal in a damning interview with journalist Annika Larson.
De Ruyter has now left the state-own-entity with immediate effect, even though he was expected to only leave at the end of March, following the announcement of his resignation in December.
ALSO READ: ATM calls for De Ruyter to appear in Parliament to spill beans on Eskom corruption
De Ruyter spoke about mafia-like set-ups within the organisation and told of how ANC corruption was at the core of the troubled power utility’s problems.
R1 billion siphoned monthly
He claimed that at least R1 billion was being siphoned monthly from Eskom’s funds and that the corruption within the industry runs deep.
While ANC’s secretary general Fikile Mbabula lashed out at De Ruyter for the damning statement, Steenbuisen has labelled him “brave” for it.
He tweeted: “Andre De Ruyter is a national hero for having the courage and conviction to stand up against the criminal syndicate that is the ANC national government. I applaud and thank him for showing the bravery we all need to fix South Africa.”
Steenhuisen also accused the ANC of targeting De Ruyter because he blew the whistle, verifying “what South Africans already knew”.
ALSO READ: André de Ruyter leaves Eskom with immediate effect
“Andre de Ruyter blew the whistle on the ANC-created Eskom crisis and was fired with immediate effect only because he verified what South Africans already know to be true: Luthuli House is the scene of the Eskom crime, and Ramaphosa and his cabinet are the perpetrators,” he said.
‘Prove what you are saying’ – ANC
But Mbabula has challenged De Ruyter to “prove what he is saying”.
“Do not hide your failures behind the attack of the ANC because it has become fashionable to do so,” he said.
“The ANC is saying to you, if you have found corruption perpetrated in its name, by individuals, bring them to book. The ANC is not corrupt, the ANC will not protect corrupt individuals,” he added.
Mbabula also said: “We have never condemned de Ruyter as the ANC. We defended this man, we stood by him to the last moment, even when it was difficult to keep the lights on. But it’s quite clear that when you are faced with a heap of failure, you find an easy scapegoat.”
‘Good riddance’
While the Economic Freedom Fighters is yet to comment in an official capacity on de Ruyter’s interview, the party’s Floyd Shivambu commented “good riddance” on the announcement of De Ruyter’s exit from Eskom with immediate effect.
The EFF has always expressed its disapproval of De Ruyter, labelling him as “useless”.
In its statement on the resignation of the former CEO, the EFF said: “Since his appointment as Eskom CEO, De Ruyter has been hellbent on collapsing the energy utility’s generation capacity.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Eskom a ‘feeding trough’ for ANC – De Ruyter
“He went around conferences and workshops to champion Independent power producers as though he were a sales mascot hired by banks that poured money into renewable projects.
“He found Eskom Medupi and Kusile build projects at an advanced stage with challenges that could have been resolved to bring them online far quicker, but he failed to complete these projects.”
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