Outgoing Eskom CEO André de Ruyter’s hasty exit from the power utility follows a damning interview that ran on local partner channels eTV and ENCA earlier this week.
Mr. De Ruyter accused the governing African National Congress (ANC) of using the state-owned company as a “feeding trough”.
He also alleged that unnamed senior government officials, including a minister, were benefitting from coal deals at the utility.
Mr. De Ruyter’s hour-long interview also contained allegations suggesting criminal gangs were doing business with Eskom and how there had been an attempt on his life last year when he announced his resignation.
The business executive was due to leave Eskom next month, but his comments seem to have led to an earlier departure.
He was with the power company for less than three years. His leaving comes amid crippling blackouts across the country known as load-shedding.
This week, South Africans have endured between 10 and 12 hours of power cuts each day.
Reacting to the explosive interview, the minister in charge of Eskom, Pravin Gordhan, said the former utility boss should keep his political views private and instead focus on ending load-shedding.
The ANC has rubbished accusations that the party is complicit in Eskom corruption – describing them as unacceptable, irresponsible and baseless.
Meanwhile, Eskom would not be drawn to comment further on Mr De Ruyter’s allegations, saying its focus was on hiring his replacement.
