- De Ruyter has led a crackdown on corruption at Eskom
- De Ruyter wants to leave Eskom in March after his resignation
- The minister says the matter needs to be thoroughly investigated
CAPE TOWN, Jan 8 (Portal) – South African energy supplier Eskom said on Sunday police are investigating whether there was an attempt to poison its outgoing chief executive officer Andre de Ruyter.
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan told Portal on Sunday the alleged incident was being “closely investigated” and all those responsible would be charged.
Without giving details, Gordhan said an intense battle was taking place “between those who want South Africa to function and prosper and those who want to corruptly enrich themselves”.
Under political pressure, De Ruyter resigned on December 14 after failing to resolve a crisis at Eskom that had led to record power outages in Africa’s most industrialized economy.
After officially taking office in January 2020, De Ruyter led a company-wide crackdown on corruption and organized criminal behavior, including infrastructure sabotage, at Eskom plants. His last day in office is March 31.
[1/2] Andre de Ruyter, Group Chief Executive of state-owned utility Eskom, speaks during a media briefing in Johannesburg, South Africa January 31, 2020. Portal/Sumaya Hisham//File Photo
“Eskom cannot comment further on the poisoning incident involving the group’s CEO, which occurred in December 2022 as the matter is the subject of a police investigation,” the utility’s security chief said in a statement.
Portal could not immediately reach De Ruyter for comment.
The suspected cyanide poisoning was first reported on Saturday by the energy trade journal EE Business Intelligence.
The opposition Democratic Alliance party on Sunday called for firm action against criminal syndicates, which it said were “intent to tighten their stranglehold on Eskom, which is destroying the economy”.
South African police services did not immediately respond to Portal’ request for comment. Eskom CEO Mpho Makwana was also unavailable.
Reporting by Wendell Roelf in Cape Town and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Edited by Barbara Lewis
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