ANC take a page out of Goebbels propaganda book with De Ruyter threats

Experts are accusing the ruling party of using a propaganda technique to react to former Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter’s allegations of corruption against ANC ministers.

But law expert Dr Llewelyn Curlewis said nothing would happen to De Ruyter. “It is just smoke and mirrors. Nothing can happen to him,” he said.

Criminal case

This was after the party gave De Ruyter seven days to prove and report his corruption allegations about Eskom to authorities. If he did not do so, the party threatened to open a criminal case against him for contravention of the law.

Curlewis said when Du Ruyter was the Eskom CEO, the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act applied to him and De Ruyter could have many defences.

Professor of criminology at the University of Limpopo Jaco Barkhuizen agreed that nothing would happen to De Ruyter.

ALSO READ: De Ruyter’s controversial interview raises important questions, writes Busi Mavaso

Case might backfire against ANC

“He is no longer CEO and no longer has access to any files. If the ANC makes a case, it can seriously backfire against them.

“They started slandering him and he can use it against them. He also said that cases had been opened, so if he has he could always pass on case numbers,” he said.

Barkhuizen said the ANC’s reaction was a propaganda technique started by Joseph Goebbels, who was chief propagandist for the Nazi Party in Germany, then Reich minister of propaganda from 1933 to 1945 and one of Adolf Hitler’s most devoted acolytes

“Bluster, obfuscate and tell a big enough lie to divert attention away from something uncom fortable,” he said, describing the tactic.

Debate

Barkhuizen said it would open up a debate about whistle-blower protection and protected disclo sure and confidentiality.

“It’s easy to say we will open a case against you for whatever, but De Ruyter said in the interview that he opened cases and it was ignored,” he said.

Barkhuizen said if De Ruyter had not left the country yet, he would leave before the seven days were over. “Should De Ruyter go to the police station and hand in the whole Zondo report on state capture that a lot of ANC bigwigs or politicians were involved in state capture?” he asked.

Action Society’s Ian Camer on said the ANC has been caught with their pants down. “It serves them well to be exposed like this.

‘Scapegoat’

There is no doubt they are a corrupt organisation and have been caught with their hand in the cookie jar,” he said. Cameron said the ANC felt embarrassed and had to find a scapegoat, but that they had failed to make De Ruyter look bad.

“We applaud De Ruyter for his work under the circumstances and solute him for his bravery to speak up against the ANC,” he said. Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann said the ANC was almost hysterically demanding that De Ruyter complain to the SA Police Service.

“That is the organisation whose own investment company and numerous senior members were implicated in corrupt activities at Eskom.

The ANC’s call is nothing but political bullying,” he said. Solidarity received confirmation from impeccable sources that De Ruyter had already re ported the allegations to senior officers at the Saps last year.

“It is already being further investigated. There have been arrests related to the allegations with more arrests expected.

The allegations were also reported to Minister Pravin Gordhan and the chair of the council,” he said. Hermann said De Ruyter did what was expected of him and more.

“The right thing for the ANC would be to throw their weight behind the investigations and give full cooperation. Their reaction casts a shadow on them.” – marizkac@citizen.co.za

READ MORE: De Ruyter told Gordhan about corruption as two ministers ‘implicated’ in Eskom probe