De Ruyter poisoning: Is power politics responsible?
South Africans are shocked by the news that the outgoing CEO of Eskom, Andre de Ruyter, was poisoned. The question on everyone’s lips is: Who is behind the attempt?
The alleged onslaught on the life of André de Ruyter, the CEO of Eskom, is politically backed says energy expert Chris Yelland. It was confirmed yesterday that De Ruyter laid a charge of attempted murder after the incident.
Yelland broke the news with an article on EE Business Intelligence. He tweeted yesterday that De Ruyter ‘has survived a murder attempt at his office in Megawatt Park, where he drank a cup of coffee laced with cyanide’.
“De Ruyter confirmed the attempt on his life, which took place on Tuesday 13 December 2022, a day after his resignation as CEO to the Eskom chairman, Mpho Makwana, but before this became publicly known on 14 December 2022,” Yelland tweeted afterwards.
BREAKING NEWS: The attempted murder of @Eskom_SA CEO Andre de Ruyter on Tuesday 13 December 2022 has been reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS) yesterday 6 January 2023.
Details to follow. pic.twitter.com/aCqUTQ87Ab— Chris Yelland (@chrisyelland) January 7, 2023
Yelland told Caxton Local Media that a doctor diagnosed De Ruyter’s condition as cyanide poisoning.
Caxton reported yesterday that De Ruyter confirmed to EE Business Intelligence that he opened a case with the SAPS on January 5. Yelland says the case was opened in Hermanus in the Western Cape and has since been transferred to the Midrand Police Station for investigation.
“It is clear that there is some kind of political and criminal activity to impact on Eskom’s production and to put pressure on the existing management to prove that they are incompetent,” says Yelland.
“It is becoming clearer that certain political and criminal elements are benefitting from these deliberate acts of sabotage at Eskom.”
In September 2022 De Ruyter found an alleged tracking device in his car which was handed over to the police for investigation.
According to Yelland, the bomb threat against Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer last year, and increasing threats against senior managers at Eskom, because of action against corruption and crime, are further proof of this.
It was reported last year that Eskom spent R3.2b on private security against sabotage and to protect senior executives.
“It looks like organised and well-connected mafia groups are the possible culprits,” says Yelland.
Watch: Izak du Plessis speaks to Chris Yelland about Andre de Ruyter’s alleged poisoning and who might be behind it.
Read original story on lowvelder.co.za
