André de Ruyter: More Truth to Power

No-one shone a brighter light on the corruption at ESKOM than former CEO André de Ruyter who had to leave South Africa for his own safety. Speaking to BizNews from the United States, he says the corruption at ESKOM continues “by and large unabated” - enabled by the procurement policy in government departments and State-owned entities - and will come to an end only once some of the ringleaders are arrested and properly investigated. He dissects the Government's latest draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), and warns that South Africa will find itself “increasingly isolated from an export perspective” if it does not speed up its decarbonisation efforts. However, he believes South Africa’s problems are solvable with “appropriate political leadership” and policies that attract foreign direct investment that will create jobs and economic growth, and ultimately counteract the “prevailing African stereotype of failure, economic failure and corruption”. De Ruyter also shares his future plans - including his hopes to return home - and reveals the subject of his possible next book. - Chris Steyn