The ANC has stuck to its guns that it wants former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter to come clean on the allegations he made about corruption at the power utility.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said they had stuck to their word by serving De Ruyter with papers this week, and if he fails to respond within seven days, they will take further action on him.
He denied that they were suppressing De Ruyter about whistle-blowing, saying, if he had information, he should lay criminal charges with the Hawks about corruption at Eskom.
The information cannot be made public without backing up the allegations. The police and other law enforcement agencies were the right people to open a criminal case, said Mbalula.
He said they were also interested to know who the high-ranking officials were involved in alleged corruption at Eskom, as stated by De Ruyter.
“We did follow on De Ruyter. We served papers on Eskom and De Ruyter this week for seven days. If he does not respond in the next seven days, we will take further steps. We did so because we think there is something illegal committed there. We don’t care whether the person who is mentioned, whoever they are, must stand for their sins. The ANC, as a political party, has not given a mandate (to anyone) to go and mess up with the CEO of Eskom,” said Mbalula.
He said people who went to Eskom did not do so with the blessing of the ANC.
The ANC is interested to know who were the people involved in the alleged corruption at Eskom.
He said the ANC could not be dragged into the corruption happening at the power utility.
“When we challenge De Ruyter, we are told that we are suppressing whistle-blowers. Where did the whistle-blower go?” queried Mbalula, adding that having an interview with a broadcaster was not whistle-blowing.
He accused De Ruyter of playing to the gallery with his interview.
“When you have got corruption, you report it to the Hawks. You don’t report it to the Minister. What do you want the minister to do about stealing? You are the authority. You report it to the police, the right authorities. The Precca Act (Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act) informs De Ruyter to do exactly that, then the law enforcement agencies will investigate all of those things,” said Mbalula.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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