Johannesburg - The National Freedom Party (NFP) condemned the alleged attempted murder of Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter and the use of intimidation and sabotage tactics to make South Africa ungovernable through Eskom.
The power utility has been at the centre of factional battles within the ANC, and there have also been interested groups that have expressed interest in who becomes the head of South Africa’s power utility. At the same time, the private sector has also been accused of taking advantage of the failures of Eskom.
There had been assassination attempts on other leaders of Eskom. The pressure from South Africans, politicians, and battles within the state company has led to de Ruyter’s resignation.
"If it is true that de Ruyter was poisoned, then we need to get to the bottom of who wanted to silence him. This is not a banana republic. We are governed by rules and laws, and if we are unhappy with someone’s performance at an SOE, then we need to follow the correct procedures," stated NFP leader in Parliament, Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam.
Shaik Emam called for an urgent investigation into the allegations of poisoning. He said de Ruyter’s utterances were a cause for concern and had to be taken seriously by law enforcement.
"Poisoning of this kind would imply both proximity and opportunity. Furthermore, while we are glad the police are investigating this matter, we call for a broader investigation into a plot to make South Africa ungovernable through Eskom," Shaik Emam said.
Shaik Emam said the constant load shedding could be brought on by acts of sabotage. He called for a broader investigation into that as well. He said should dark elements at Eskom not be rooted out, it could affect the economy more than it already has.
"We are consistently hearing reports of sabotage at Eskom, and now this. We need a broader investigation to see if these things are connected. Right now, our economy is in shambles because load shedding continues to disrupt workflow. We need to know if this was part of a maliciously coordinated plan," said Shaik Emam.
The Star