By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) said on Tuesday that former Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter furnished his corruption report at the power utility after he went public with his allegations in a television interview.
De Ruyter’s made the allegations in a television interview earlier this year, at which he alleged that senior politicians were involved in corruption at Eskom, both the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) and the Special Investigating Unit reached out to him requesting an interview, to which the former CEO did not respond.
De Ruyter only submitted a report to law enforcement authorities on corruption at the utility the day before he appeared in Parliament in April, and long after he had resigned from the company, Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya told MPs on Tuesday.
Lebeya confirmed that there are three known cases relating to the former CEO, including one of poisoning where he is the complainant.
“The second one is alleged failure to lodge a section 34 report in terms of PRECA in which he is cited as a suspect by Mmusi Maimane, and lastly a report in terms of section 34 of PRECA submitted by a firm of attorneys on behalf of de Ruyter.
On 26 April De Ruyter refused to tell Scopa the identity of a “senior politician” who is implicated in corruption at the power utility, citing security risks and the possibility of legal action against him.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has told parliamentarians that they only became aware of the private intelligence report into allegations of rampant corruption and maladministration at Eskom on the morning of the former CEO’s appearance at the committee.
Special Investigations Unit (SIU) head Andy Mothibi said attempts to call De Ruyter following the airing of the interview proved futile.
The integrity of the private intelligence report De Ruyter had largely based his claims on has been called into question following an expose that alleges the claims were untested.
Mothibi said attempts to get the report from Eskom officials have yielded no results.
“The investigating team immediately requested a copy of the report, as it was important that we access it and see matters that required attention, and we were advised by Eskom on the 5th of May that Eskom is not in possession of that report.”
Mothibi raised questions over the appointment of the private investigations company, and how the probe was funded.
“How was the private investigations company paid or appointed? If the investigation was paid for by third parties, who are these third parties, without questioning their credentials? The other important question is whether the payment if paid by Eskom, was budgeted for and/or authorized by the accounting authority.
“Whether the outcome of the investigation is being acted upon and if so, how is it acted upon and by whom?”
Mothibi added that they would also be probing how the report was allegedly leaked to the public.
SAPS’ lieutenant-general Peter Jacobs confirmed to Scopa that De Ruyter held two meetings with police management in June 2022 and July 2022.
Jacobs said no specific information containing elements that would enable the SAPS to open criminal investigations were conveyed during the meetings.
“Reference to criminal activity within and related to Eskom was always generic, and more strategic of content, rather indicating trends.
“The only specific case raised by De Ruyter with the national commissioner outside the meeting of July 5, 2022 related to Matshela Koko,” he said, adding that national commissioner Fannie Masemola had raised the matter with the DPCI head.
The case was, however, under investigation by the Investigative Directorate (ID). Koko and associate co-accused were arrested on October 27, 2022 and are on bail.
Watch the live the proceedings in the video below:
Video Courtesy of Parliament.