Sunday Times E-Edition

De Ruyter shoots from the hip

Bureaucrats generally tread carefully when they appear before parliament’s oversight committees. Even when reflecting on the weaknesses of their predecessors, they choose their words carefully. But not Eskom boss André de Ruyter. Appearing before Scopa this week, De Ruyter reflected on the history of load-shedding and why the country finds itself with rolling blackouts. “In 2014, my somewhat less than illustrious predecessors refused to sign purchase agreements with IPPs on grounds that this would not be in the interest of Eskom,” he said. When ANC MP Bheki Hadebe pushed the outgoing CEO to admit that he failed to achieve the energy availability factor he had promised, De Ruyter cheekily responded: “Yes, honourable Hadebe, I achieved, in terms of improving the EAF, less than I would have liked to. But I may perhaps encourage you: there is now a vacancy, you may apply.”

Opinion

en-za

2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://times-e-editions.pressreader.com/article/282007561529147

Arena Holdings PTY