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Outgoing Eskom CEO André de Ruyter says he wouldn’t consider extending his contract at the power utility under any circumstances, even if someone capable is appointed as Electricity Minister to the Presidency.
Speaking to 702, De Ruyter also gave his thoughts on what Eskom should look for in his successor when he leaves the utility in March 2023.
“It’s over… Yes, I’ll opt for cups of tea at home made by people that I trust,” he said when asked if he would ever consider extending his contract.
He explained that the straw that broke the camel’s back was Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe’s accusations that he was trying to destabilise the ANC through Eskom.
“Despite having tried my level best, I was, together with my hard-working colleagues, accused of trying to subvert the state, which was clearly not the case,” De Ruyter said.
“The absence of political support following that accusation was quite disappointing.”
However, he noted that the accumulation of several other factors made the job particularly tiring.
“It is a very challenging job from a mental and physical point of view, and when that is not recognised, there comes a point when you say maybe it’s time for someone else to take up the cudgels,” De Ruyter explained.
Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and EnergyHe said his successor would have to understand that they have to operate in a challenging environment regarding crime and corruption.
“I would sincerely hope there is a good, solid, honest patriot out there with the necessary business and operational skill to step into my shoes at the end of March,” the CEO said.
“I think you’ve got to understand that there are government policies that aren’t necessarily aligned and coherent, which makes it complicated for you to navigate a way through various decisions.”
“You report to numerous different ministries who have influence. So, I guess you could summarise it as the candidate should have the ability to deal with an elevated level of complexity,” he added.
De Ruyter notified Eskom board chairman Mpho Makwana of his resignation in December 2022 and agreed to stay longer than the two-month notice period stipulated in his contract to smooth the handover process.
When asked whether he would have taken the job knowing what he knows now, De Ruyter said he would likely still take the position.
“That’s a very tough question. I think I still would have done it because it has really been an honour to work in Eskom and to make a difference in some respects,” he said.
However, he noted that the high levels of load-shedding during his time at the power utility would forever be a black mark against his name.
De Ruyter weighs in on Ramaphosa’s Minister of Electricity plan
During his State of the Nation address on 9 February 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he would appoint a Minister of Electricity to the Presidency who would assume full responsibility for overseeing the electricity crisis response.
De Ruyter believes the appointee could have a fighting chance in helping to resolve the electricity crisis.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, and I think what we have here is an attempt to cut the ‘Gwede knot’ and make sure we can, in fact, make progress on some of the initiatives that have just been going round and round in circles,” he said.
He emphasised that having a direct line to the President is essential for whoever is appointed to the position.
President Cyril Ramaphosa during his 2023 State of the Nation Address“If there’s any resistance, any attempt to derail the turnaround effort, there can be an immediate intervention right from the top,” De Ruyter said.
“If those are the terms of reference for the job, then I think the individual will have a fighting chance of success.”
However, he highlighted that such an intervention should have been suggested years ago.
“Unfortunately, where we are right now is it’s taken protracted Stage 6 load-shedding to get the necessary level of urgency going. Eskom’s been saying since 1998 that we need more capacity, and we need it urgently,” De Ruyter stated.
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