A trusted source external to Eskom indicated to EE Business Intelligence that after drinking a cup of coffee in his office at Eskom Megawatt Park in Sunninghill, De Ruyter became weak, dizzy and confused, shaking uncontrollably and vomiting copiously. He subsequently collapsed, unable to walk.
He was rushed to his doctor’s rooms by his security detail, where his condition was diagnosed as cyanide poisoning, and treated accordingly. Tests taken subsequently confirmed massively elevated levels of cyanide in his body.
This has been further confirmed by a second high level source, as well as De Ruyter’s own words confirming his reporting of the matter to SAPS.
De Ruyter and his executive team have been clamping down and cutting off illicit revenue streams from procurement irregularities, fraud, theft, corruption and maladministration, both within Eskom and by certain of its suppliers and contractors.
High levels of criminality and corruption are particularly prevalent in Mpumalanga Province where there is a high concentration of aging and poorly performing Eskom coal-fired power stations.
The month of December 2022 was marred by extremely high levels of rolling power cuts throughout South Africa, which is unusual at a time when electricity demand is traditionally at its lowest as the country enters the summer holiday period and festive season.
De Ruyter has indicated that his position as CEO of Eskom became untenable after ANC chairman and Mineral Resources & Energy minister Gwede Mantashe publicly accused Eskom management of “agitating for the overthrow of the state”.
The attempted murder also occurred only days before the start of the ANC elective conference held at the NASREC Expo Centre, Johannesburg, from 16 to 20 December 2022.
The period in the lead up to and during the conference is a time of significantly heightened political tension as factions of the ruling party nominate and contest the positions for the party’s president, its “top 7” leadership, and its National Executive Committee (NEC).
It is becoming clearer that certain disaffected political and criminal elements have been engaging in deliberate acts of sabotage, theft and vandalism that worsens security of supply in South Africa, to the extent where state security is compromised.
The deployment of the South African Defence Force (SADF) to protect Eskom power station assets at a number of Eskom coal-fired power stations in Mpumalanga Province, announced during the ANC elective conference indicates the perceived severity of the threats.
Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd.’s outgoing Chief Executive Officer Andre de Ruyter has told South African police he recently survived an attempt on his life.
The alleged incident occurred on Dec. 13, a day before de Ruyter’s resignation as head of the embattled utility was made public. De Ruyter became violently ill after drinking a cup of coffee allegedly laced with cyanide at his office in Johannesburg, according to EE Business Intelligence, which cited a person it didn’t identify as it first reported the incident on Saturday.
De Ruyter confirmed to Bloomberg News that he had filed a complaint with police but declined to comment further.
The Dysfunctional Company That’s Wrecking South Africa’s Economy. De Ruyter will remain in his role until March 31 while a comprehensive search is conducted to find a suitable successor, Eskom Chairman Mpho Makwana said on Dec. 14, when the resignation was announced.
Eskom, South Africa’s state power utility, provides nearly all of the nation’s electricity. Blackouts have been a regular feature in South Africa for over a decade.
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