‘I have to use my money to buy electricity’: Reactions to De Ruyter’s R340 book and what’s in it

Accountability and criminal prosecution. These are the two things some want after the release of former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter’s tell-all book.

The book titled Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom was released at the weekend and has caused a stir on social media. It retails for R340. 

De Ruyter joined the power utility as CEO in 2019. He pinned Eskom's failures on criminality and lack of political will to untangle a web of corruption. He left Eskom under a cloud earlier this year after giving a TV interview in which he made several explosive claims.

As news of the book was shared, some urged De Ruyter to publicly mention the names of those he claimed were implicated in milking the power utility.  

Social media user Evered Kluckow, after reading the extract, said he was confident De Ruyter might have evidence to back the corruption allegations. 

“André is street smart. Wait until he goes to court. What has he got in his back pocket? Does anyone think he does not have evidence, as he knows what corruption individuals will try?”

User Romeo Giannone said: “The only way to stop this is for all South Africans to stand together and demand accountability.”

WHAT'S INSIDE THE BOOK?

In the book De Ruyter not only speaks about tender processes but alleges some police officials protected those caught red-handed. 

“In Mpumalanga, several cases relating to coal theft and the dumping of stock at dark sites were never prosecuted because a specific senior police officer had personally intervened,” the extract reads. 

Minister of public enterprises Pravin Gordhan is also named in the book, with De Ruyter saying he raised concerns about political influence in Eskom’s procurement processes with the minister.  

To read Gordhan's response and more takeaways from the book, click on the story below.

YOU WANT MORE? 

Here's a short section of an extract run in the Sunday Times this week:

***

In 20 years in the oil business I had never heard of the company. Yet, here was Eskom’s procurement department, recommending that we award them a fuel oil tender to the tune of R432m. It stank to high heaven. 

I first noticed the company during a meeting of the board of Eskom’s generation division in April 2022. Looking at the bidders’ list submitted by the procurement department, I quickly realised it was nothing more than a shelf company, and a close corporation to boot.  

Another company on the list was also distinctly dodgy: a quick Google search revealed that they were under US sanctions from the Office of Foreign Assets Control — or OFAC, which precipitated a suitably onomatopoeic moment. 

I asked about the shelf company. “Anything to be concerned about?” I asked, feigning ignorance. 

“Nothing at all, they are good,” was the response. 

One of the key requirements of a successful cross-examination is to know the answers to the questions that you’re going to ask, and then pay out enough rope for the witness to hang himself ...

***

To read the full extract, click on the story below.

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