ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has hit back at former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter calling him an opportunist who waited to leave Eskom before ?exposing' corruption at the power utility. This comes after de Ruyter said in an interview on Tuesday that corruption was entrenched in the government and its dealings with Eskom.

LEAVING WITH IMMEDIATE 

On Wednesday, Eskom released a statement announcing that de Ruyter was leaving the power utility with immediate effect. In a statement Eskom said: "The board further resolved that Mr de Ruyter will not be required to serve the balance of his notice period but that he will be released from his position with immediate effect. Acting group chief executive arrangements are being finalised with the Pravin Gordhan-led Department of Public Enterprises," the statement said. De Ruyter resigned in December last year and was expected to hold the fort until the end of March to allow the board to find his replacement.

AN OPPORTUNIST

Mbalula said the ruling party will not be deterred and side tracked by utterances from naysayers like de Ruyter. Mbalula added that the former CEO's comments were unacceptable. "His opportunistic venture into the political arena has unmasked his regressive political and ideological agenda if he wants to be a political player and undermine the efforts of patriotic South Africans let him declare publicly who he is aligned with the CEO's  of any entity including Eskom should not be involved in open political debates and assertions. Where they have political views they should be kept private so that it does not detract attention from their professional work, "said. Mbalula. Mbalula said de Ruyter was appointed strictly to lead the turnaround at Eskom into a functional public enterprise that provides the country with sustainable electricity. "He's completely failed to deliver on the contractual obligation. Instead, he shifts the goal by advertising his right wing ideological posture on a matter that falls within the scope of the nature of his employment contract.

He said the fact that whether Eskom belonged to the ruling party was not his business.  "De Ruyter is shifting blame because of his own shortcomings and why is he only revealing this corruption just as he is leaving. He was supposed to expose this corruption as a CEO but instead he kept quiet. Hawks and SAPS should take on the task to investigate any foul activity   at the power utility," Mbalula said the ANC is not corrupt as they are the ones who have established the state capture. "Our own president appeared before the state capture. De Ruyter knows who is corrupt and he must expose him. I'm taking him to come to me as I am speaking on behalf of the ANC." Mbalula added.

NAME AND SHAME

Dennis Bloom from Congress of the People (Cope) says he's not surprised that De Ruyter is leaving before his notice. This is the same sentiment that was shared by Mbalula who said during a media briefing on Thursday that the former CEO must expose any members of the ruling party who are involved in the sabotage of Eskom. "He should expose the unnamed cabinet minister that he referred to as informing him that Eskom was being used to benefit the ANC. We are not surprised by the sudden departure of Andre De Ruyter from Eskom. The allegations he made are very serious and need to be investigated by the police. We expect de Ruyter to be patriotic and expose this minister. The country is in a crisis because of this corrupt minister and his cabal. We expect him to go and lay criminal charges against this senior cabinet minister and everyone who is involved in corruption and sabotage at Eskom."