(Photo: Leon Sadiki / Bloomberg via Getty Images) 
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula challenged former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter on Thursday to produce evidence for his claims of corruption at the parastatal, while affirming that the ANC “is not corrupt” and does not protect individuals involved in wrongdoing.
“The comments of Mr De Ruyter are completely unacceptable,” said Mbalula during a media briefing.
Referring to De Ruyter’s remarks during an interview with eNCA on Tuesday, Mbalula said the ANC rejected the former CEO’s “unfortunate, irresponsible and baseless claims of alleged political meddling and corruption” at Eskom.
The party “welcomed the immediate departure of De Ruyter from Eskom”, said Mbalula, and called on the Eskom board to expedite its search to appoint a new CEO.
De Ruyter was “released from his position with immediate effect” on Wednesday, following the interview.
Read in Daily Maverick: “André de Ruyter released from Eskom ‘with immediate effect’ following explosive interview”
The former CEO resigned in December 2022 following claims from Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe that Eskom was “agitating for the overthrow of the state” by failing to deal with increased levels of blackouts.
He was due to leave his position at the end of March, but Eskom announced his early exit from the parastatal on Wednesday night – less than 24 hours after his interview with eNCA aired.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe's remark that Eskom was 'agitating for the overthrow of the state' by failing to deal with increased levels of blackouts was followed by André de Ruyter's resignation. (Photo: Leila Dougan)
“Following the convening of a special board meeting on 22 February 2023, the Eskom Board and group chief executive Andrè de Ruyter have reached mutual agreement to curtail his notice period to 28 February 2023,” Eskom said.
“The board further resolved that Mr De Ruyter will not be required to serve the balance of his notice period, but that he will be released from his position with immediate effect.”
Andrè de Ruyter leaves Eskom with immediate effect pic.twitter.com/pCZcYmcV0d
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) February 22, 2023
On Thursday, Mbalula reiterated the comment by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to TimesLIVE on Wednesday, that CEOs “should not be involved in open political debates or assertions”.
He said: “The CEOs of any entity, including Eskom, should not be involved in open political debates or assertions, and where they have political views, they must be kept private… so that they don’t detract attention from their professional work.”
Appointed strictly to lead the turnaround of Eskom into a functional public enterprise, according to Mbalula, De Ruyter had “completely failed to deliver on this contractual obligation”.
This was despite continuous support from the ANC, said Mbalula.
“When he was under attack that he is inefficient, that he doesn’t know what he’s doing, we supported him, because we wanted somebody who would bring order and stability to run the entity.”
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan told TimesLIVE that CEOs 'should not be involved in open political debates or assertions'. (Photo: Guillem Sartorio / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Mbalula further challenged De Ruyter to present evidence to support his claims, to expose the alleged corrupt individuals and “bring them to book”.
“[De Ruyter] is now trying to shift the blame from his own shortcomings to other people. We must ask why he is only raising these allegations when he leaves Eskom,” he said.
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“If Mr De Ruyter has any evidence to the contrary, he is duty bound to present it. We commend the tough actions taken by the SAPS, Hawks, SIU and other law enforcement agencies to bring charges against corrupt persons inside and outside Eskom. They must be furnished with information to do their job.”
If De Ruyter does not “prove what he said” about the ANC, the party will proceed with legal action, Mbalula said.
“We as the ANC, we will take action,” he vowed.
“That man – he must prove what he said about us… We will challenge him for saying that our party is corrupt and failing to prove how.”
Marchers on their way to Megawatt Park in Johannesburg to protest against rolling blackouts on 2 February 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)
A restaurant owner counts banknotes by candlelight during a power cut in Johannesburg on 13 February 2023. (Photo: Leon Sadiki / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Mbalula accused De Ruyter of tarnishing the ANC’s image with his revelations that a Cabinet minister told him to tolerate corruption, and the evidence showed the ANC saw Eskom as a “feeding trough”.
“If there are corrupt people who are promoting corruption, they happen to have the label of being ANC members,” he said.
“The ANC does not support corruption. The ANC is not corrupt. The ANC will not protect corrupt individuals,” Mbalula claimed.
De Ruyter’s immediate dismissal comes as South Africa is experiencing unprecedented levels of blackouts.
On Sunday, Eskom implemented Stage 6 power cuts for the fourth time this year, which was due to continue until Wednesday evening. But, during the evening peak demand period on Tuesday and again on Wednesday the power utility shed over 7,000 MW.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said in a tweet on Wednesday night that Eskom had shed 7,092MW from the grid during evening peak.
Evening Peak Feedback 22/02/2023, 19:14
Total demand: 30 993MW
Loadshedding: 7 092MW
Eskom OCGT's Utilised: 7
IPP OCGT's Utilised: 2
Renewable Gen: 826MW (Wind 528MW, CSP 298MW)@Eskom_SA Available Generation Capacity: 26 159MW@EskomSpokesper1
— SikonathiMantshantsh (@SikonathiM) February 22, 2023
In a reply to Daily Maverick, he denied reports that South Africa was on Stage 7. "We did, however, implement load curtailment Stage 4 for the qualifying industrial customers. The total reduction (load shedding and load curtailment) last night was estimated to be just over 7000MW."
Mantshantsha said that Eskom is currently loadshedding at Stage 6 as previously announced.
The DA said it would submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act application for information about corruption at Eskom.
“The purpose of this request is to obtain all information and evidence at Eskom’s disposal regarding the alleged ANC kingpin behind the systemic corruption that has brought our country’s electricity supply to its knees,” DA leader John Steenhuisen said on Wednesday.
De Ruyter did not respond immediately to Daily Maverick's request for comment on Thursday. DM