Under persistent questioning by MPs on Wednesday, former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter refused to name the senior politician who has allegedly been involved in corruption at the utility.
De Ruyter appeared before parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) to answer questions about the allegations he has made about the corruption at Eskom, particularly during an eNCA television interview in February, in which he said a senior politician was involved.
He refused to name the senior politician, saying he had obtained legal advice not to do so as this could affect his own security and expose him to civil or criminal action. It could also compromise ongoing investigations and defeat the ends of justice if he were to disclose the name in a public forum.
While insisting he was willing to co-operate with Scopa, De Ruyter refused to take an oath or make an affirmation which would have given him protection under the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act. He said his concerns over his security would still apply and could not expose himself.
He said he had informed public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan and presidential security adviser Sydney Mufamadi in about June/July 2022 as well as the police of the senior politician’s name and suggested that Scopa ask them or the Hawks to disclose this.
De Ruyter also refused to answer questions if this senior politician was in government or cabinet or was still active in politics, saying that by a process of elimination the person’s identity would eventually be revealed, “which I am at pains to avoid. A senior politician is what it means. Let’s leave it at that,” he said.
Scopa chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa was not sympathetic to these replies
ANC MP Bheki Hadebe who was the member of Scopa who asked for De Ruyter to appear before the committee was insistent that it was in the interests of Scopa, which has oversight of the use of public money, to identify the name of the minister who had told him that “in order to pursue the greater good you have to enable some people to eat a little bit”.
This comment, Hadebe said, was made in response to De Ruyter’s report to the minister of the involvement of a senior politician in corruption.
De Ruyter said the minister’s statement was made in response to his concern about the $8.5bn funding for SA’s Just Energy Transition and the need for strict controls over how the money was spent given Eskom’s checkered past. He emphasised that it would not be appropriate to divulge the name of the minister as his comment could not be construed as support for ongoing corruption at Eskom or a contravention of the law.
De Ruyter said he was taken aback and surprised by the statement as it indicated a general condonation or climate in which corruption is tolerated and regarded as a normal part of business.
He repeatedly insisted that he had reported the allegations of crime and corruption to the SAPS at the highest level including the former national police commissioner, Fanie Masemola. He had also taken steps to strengthen internal controls at Eskom in a bid to stem the corruption.
He assumed action had been taken on his reports of criminality to SAPS as there had been a number of arrests.
De Ruyter’s testimony followed a report by News24 on Wednesday that De Ruyter obtained his information about cartels and the involvement of two cabinet ministers — allegedly former deputy president David Mabuza and mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe — as well as the ANC in corruption, from a multimillion rand investigation funded by business.
The investigation, the report said, was conducted by a company run by former national police commissioner George Fivaz, who employed a former apartheid operative, Tony Oosthuizen, to conduct the investigation. The media report said that De Ruyter had relied on an investigation that produced nothing but conjecture and dubious information.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.