ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula. File Picture: Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)
Durban - ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party will soon serve papers on former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter in Germany in its defamation suit against the former power utility boss.
This after De Ruyter said in an interview that the governing party had treated Eskom as a feeding trough and that a certain minister was behind the looting at Eskom.
The former CEO recently released his book, ‘Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom’, where he writes about corruption and dodgy tenders at the ailing SOE..
Mbalula told the SABC that De Ruyter was writing a book instead of dealing with load shedding during his tenure.
“At some point issues were raised about this man and his style of management. It shows for the period he was there, he was writing a book and not dealing with load shedding.
“Now all these things are coming out in a book. He has resentment and an agenda to privatise.”
Mbalula said the ANC would serve papers on De Ruyter in Germany.
He poked holes in De Ruyter’s allegations that the ANC was engaged in widespread corruption at the power utility.
“We can’t allow the image of the ANC to be battered. I cannot accuse the DA or any other political party, as the ANC, about things I don’t have evidence of because it is hearsay. When we challenge De Ruyter we are told we are suppressing whistleblowers,” Mbalula said.
Publishers Penguin Random House issued a statement saying they stood by the book and De Ruyter, and that he had acted in the public interest.
Build One South Africa Movement leader Mmusi Maimane, has asked the Hawks to investigate a criminal complaint in connection with reported widespread looting at Eskom.
Maimane in February laid a criminal complaint at the Cape Town Police Station to compel authorities to get De Ruyter to share the details of allegations he made against senior ministers and others allegedly privy to the corruption at the state power utility.
Maimane wants the Hawks to determine the identity of the Cabinet minister who de Ruyter was referring to.
He said the investigation would reveal whether de Ruyter complied with his obligation under Section 34.2 of PRECCA [Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act] in respect of high-ranking ANC politicians and with his obligation under Section 34.2 of PRECCA in respect of a Cabinet minister.