SCOPA to meet SAPS, Hawks, SIU over de Ruyter allegations on Tuesday

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) continues with its inquiry into the Eskom allegations made by the former CEO Andre de Ruyter on Tuesday, 9 May, and will meet with various South African law enforcement agencies.

WATCH LIVE: SCOPA meets with law enforcement over de Ruyter allegations

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South African law enforcement agencies to brief SCOPA about de Ruyter’s allegations

SCOPA will be briefed about de Ruyter’s allegations of rampant corruption at the power utility by the South African Police Service (SAPS), Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (the Hawks) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) at 9:00 on Tuesday.

De Ruyter appeared virtually before SCOPA a fortnight ago to account for the allegations he made in a bombshell televised interview in which he spoke about corruption, fraud and criminal cartels at Eskom. He also agreed with a suggestion put to him that the power utility was a feeding trough for the ANC and that a high-ranking ANC member had a hand in the dodgy dealings.

READ: SCOPA frustrated: De Ruyter refuses to drop names in Parliament

Committee members pressed him for the names of implicated individuals. However, de Ruyter refused to divulge more information and told the SCOPA he had informed law enforcement about the allegations.

 He also said Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Presidential Security Advisor Sydney Mafumadi were aware of the name of the “high-ranking” ANC politician – this led to the summons for law enforcement and Gordhan to appear.

READ: ANC councillor arrested for attempted rape of 12-year-old girl in Mpumalanga

As previously reported, the Public Enterprises Minister jetted to China to resolve a Transnet issue, and he will appear before the Committee at a later date.

SCOPA wants former CEO to return and answer questions under oath

According to SABC News, SCOPA Chair Mkuleko Hlengwa said de Ruyter must return to the Committee and answer questions under oath – he was asked whether he would be more willing to answer questions under parliamentary protection during the first appearance but refused.

“Where we have an issue is on the allegations De Ruyter’s made, that if he is correct in what he is saying, we then expect the minister, the advisor, the Hawks and the National Police Commissioner and Eskom to then tell us officially what it is that they did with that information.

“So that we can be satisfied that the necessary processes have unfolded. From where we are at this point, we do believe that this has happened, and that is what is fundamentally worrying,” said Hlengwa.

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ANC granted permission to serve papers overseas in defamation case

Last week, the ANC – which took great offence to de Ruyter’s allegations – received permission to serve him with court papers overseas from the Pretoria High Court.

De Ruyter left South Africa around February after the interview aired, and he was asked to leave the power utility immediately during his notice period.

READ: De Ruyter lying low in Germany, ANC to serve him with court papers there – report

It is believed that he is in Germany due to safety concerns – the ANC was granted permission to serve him there with regard to its defamation case.

The governing party wants the former Eskom CEO to retract the allegations and apologise – it also wants the court to declare them defamatory.

As previously reported, a News24 report revealed that de Ruyter’s interview allegations were based on unverified intelligence reports, which lends the ANC case more credence.

READ: De Ruyter’s allegations based on unsubstantiated claims by apartheid-era spy – report

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