Energy expert Chris Yelland believes former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter’s interview with a private TV station on Tuesday was an act of whistle-blowing.
The former CEO made allegations that a senior African National Congress (ANC) minister is involved in criminal activities at the power utility with the knowledge of other senior party leaders.
Energy expert Chris Yelland asserts that it is the responsibility of a leader in a state-owned enterprise to blow the whistle if a conventional corporate business, political channels, or even the police fail to protect an individual. This is in the public interest.
“What we have seen yesterday evening, following an interview that was conducted, I think he spoke truth to power and power doesn’t like it. And he’s been forced out. Now, some might say that that interview was an outrageous political act. And that is that I believe a citizen and a business leader has a duty and obligation to serve the public interest and to when necessary, blow the whistle.”
Corruption
De Ruyter joins Eskom three years ago and was confronted with significant procurement irregularities, maladministration, and corruption at many other challenges, within Eskom.
Yellard believes the former CEO underestimated the task before him and failed to achieve the goals he had for the power utility.
” I don’t think he has achieved what he set out to achieve. And I think he would be the first to admit it. I think de Ruyter did a very important task and I commend him for that, in other words, to seriously look at the restructuring of Eskom, the unbundling of Eskom, and a vision for the decarbonisation of Eskom through the just energy transition. And in retrospect, I think he’s done a very significant amount of work. Has it been successful? Well, unfortunately, not yet, because there’s a lot of division within politics within ANC within government. And there is not a consistent, supportive, clear vision.”
Yelland warns that the leadership vacuum being left at the power utility is dangerous.
“Within Eskom there is a leadership vacuum developing. And there has been a complete change of guard, which is still in progress. So we saw last year, the head of the just transition left, we’ve seen two heads of generation leave, we’ve seen a new board been put in place, a new, we’ve seen the departure of Andre de Ruyter. And change management at the very best of times is fraught with difficulties. So are we entering a period of great danger and risk?”
The Black Business Council (BBC) has welcomed Eskom’s board decision to release Andre de Ruyter with immediate effect.
BBC CEO, Kganki Matabane says, “The BBC is of the view that he should have vacated his position the day he rendered his resignation as he had nothing positive to hand over to the new group CEO. The country is facing a serious electricity crisis and we must focus our energy on improving the energy availability factor. Mr de Ruyter’s unnecessary attention-seeking noise was becoming an irritating destruction that the country does not need.”
Meanwhile, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) says it is extremely concerned about de Ruyter’s statement. The fund says de Ruyter’s corruption allegations against it are reckless and without evidence.
In a statement, the CEF says the former CEO has opted to indulge in speculation which has nothing to do with the devastating effects the rolling blackout has on the South African economy.
De Ruyter was Eskom’s 13th CEO in 10 years and his replacement is yet to be appointed.
![[File image] A sign outside Eskom Megawatt Park.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Eskom-pic-reuters-1.png)
