- News24 reveals that former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter has been appointed senior guest lecturer, presenting a course on renewable energy and the green economy market, at Yale University, USA.
- He will present the course at three of Yale’s institutions – School of Management, Jackson School of Global Affairs, and School of the Environment.
When André de Ruyter took over as Eskom CEO in January 2020, he quickly realised why it was considered the toughest job in South Africa. Aside from neglected equipment, ageing power stations and an eroded skills base, he discovered that Eskom was crippled by corruption on a staggering scale. Fake fuel oil deliveries at just one power station cost Eskom R100 million per month; kneepads retailing for R150 a pair were purchased for R80 000; billions of rands of equipment supposedly housed in the company’s storerooms was missing.
Faced with police inaction, he was compelled to plunge into a world that was foreign to him – a world of spies and safe houses, of bulletproof vests and bodyguards.
He eventually left Eskom and the country on after a broad-sweeping interview with journalist Annika Larsen on eTV in February , where is exposed ANC corruption and political interference. In the interview, De Ruyter explained that the ANC was more interested in short-term political gains than long-term sustainability for the country. “They want what will win them the next election – not what will keep the country going for the next two decades,” said De Ruyter. De Ruyter also said that fixing and turning Eskom around is not feasible. Read more
He released his book May, Truth to Power, where he tells the behind-the-scenes story of how he launched a private investigation that exposed at least four criminal cartels feeding off Eskom. While fighting this scourge, he had to deal with political interference, absurd regulations, non-paying municipalities, unfounded accusations of racism, wildcat strikes, sabotage, and a poisoning attempt.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
