De Ruyter to face SCOPA again over Eskom allegations

Parliament’s SCOPA plans to summon former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter for a second appearance, seeking clarification on corruption allegations.

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) intends to call former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter for another appearance to answer questions about his allegations of corruption at the embattled power utility.

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SCOPA WANTS TO SEE DE RUYTER AGAIN

SCOPA Chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) CEO Busisiwe Mavuso would also be called because it appeared that she had knowledge of the private investigation de Ruyter launched while he was at the helm of the company.

Since his last appearance before the Committee, de Ruyter has published a book on his three years at Eskom, which will give MPs a greater reserve to draw questions from. In the book, the former CEO wrote that BUSA helped fund the private investigation by George Fivaz Forensic and Risk.

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The Committee also wants to see Hawks investigator Brigadier Jap Burger, whom police commissioner Fannie Masemola reportedly appointed as a go-between the private investigators and the police, according to Mail and Guardian.

Hlengwa asked SCOPA members to submit a final list of persons of interest in the matter. National security advisor to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Dr Sydney Mufamadi, is expected before the Committee on Friday.

READ: Mkhuleko Hlengwa apologises to Eskom’s Busisiwe Mavuso

ALLEGATIONS REPEATED IN BOOK

In the book, de Ruyter repeated an allegation first made during a bombshell television interview. He said he told Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan that intelligence suggested a senior ANC politician was involved in corruption at Eskom.

He alleged that Gordhan turned to Mufamadi and remarked that he thought it would inevitably come out.

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Like de Ruyter, Gordhan refused to name the politician when he appeared before SCOPA. The Minister also said he would not remember whether he made the remark to Mufamadi.

The ANC is suing de Ruyter for defamation over the allegations he made in the interview.

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