Cape Town – Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwana reportedly said that De Ruyter’s interview with eNCA brought the utility into disrepute, adding that “he had to go”.
De Ruyter was released with immediate effect after the interview, although he was still serving his three months’ notice after resigning in December 2022.
“Upon his recusal from the board meeting, the board deliberated on the matter. The board arrived at the view that some of the utterances that he made had brought the company into disrepute and therefore resolved to agree to a variation of his notice period,” Mail & Guardian quoted Makwana as saying.
Standing in front of Scopa, Makwana said De Ruyter misled the public into thinking the developments were new, but the board was already looking investigating them, TimesLIVE reported.
“The matter of cartels predates this board; it was already a matter under investigation,” Makwana was quoted as saying.
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He said the former CEO had suggested that no action was taking place; however, the chairman said disciplinary hearings had been held since the establishment of a State Capture task team, and 26 former executives, including a former Eskom CEO, had been arrested in relation to the allegations.
“So, there was nothing new, these matters were already in court,” he was quoted as saying.
“There’s a broad view that wants to position Mr De Ruyter as a victim, to position him as whistleblower,” EWN quoted Makwana as saying.
Makwana says there’s the tendency to position de Ruyter as a victim and a whistleblower.
He had already resigned, he was not fired. LD
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) May 10, 2023
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
