André de Ruyter’s apparent sudden resignation as the CEO of Eskom is a reflection on Gwede Mantashe’s relentless campaign against a man who despite having one hand tied behind his back as he battled to get the utility on track – fighting corruption, debilitating policies and political interference – conducted a dutiful and responsible effort at the discharging of his duties.
Clearly his minister, Pravin Gordhan is powerless in the face of Mantashe and many in the RET faction who have been baying for his blood.
Yet again the factional shenanigans of the ANC are spilling over into the efficient running of key utilities and the results will be more than dire. At a time when de Ruyter needed all the support he could muster and a free hand to deal with the most pressing challenge facing the country, he has been sacrificed at the altar of political expediency, factionalism and racism.
The DA condemns this thinly-veiled “resignation” and repeats its call for bold emergency action to be taken to fix the ever-increasing problem of loadshedding. It’s time for a ring-fenced state of disaster to be declared around Eskom, governed independently by a panel of experts that ideally should include the former CEO who knows more than most what bedevils Eskom.