The South African Police Service (SAPS), the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit were grilled by the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) in relation to former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter’s allegations of organised crime at the power utility.<\/p>\n
In a Scopa briefing on Tuesday (9 May), members of the parliament queried law enforcement agencies over the troubled power utility that has been the victim of widespread sabotage, organised crime and corruption.<\/p>\n
When asked whether they were aware of a private investigation initiated by De Ruyter into crime surrounding the company, Fannie Masemola, the national police commissioner, said that he was informed; however, both the Hawks and the police minister Bheki Cele denied prior knowledge of the investigation.<\/p>\n
Regarding acts of sabotage, such as illicit coal finding its way to power plants, Cele said there must be a distinction between issues relating to the company’s operation and organised crime.<\/p>\n
Masemola, despite stating that he was informed about the investigation, said that matters relating to organised crime and criminal syndicates were not relayed to him.<\/p>\n
He said that he was made aware of the report sometime in 2022 but was unclear on its contents.<\/p>\n
“I never laid a hand on the report. The fact that it was given to investigations, I said that was sufficient,” Masemola said.<\/p>\n
The head of Hawks, Godfrey Lebeya, said that no investigations are being made into who may be the ‘high-level politician’ implicated in criminal activity at Eskom that De Ruyter has chosen not to name.<\/p>\n
During an explosive interview with Enca, the former CEO said that he had told the unnamed minister that there was a high-level ANC politician involved in cartel activities.<\/p>\n
De Ruyter alleged that the minister was not surprised by this information.<\/p>\n
The private investigation initiated by De Ruyter has now landed him in hot water. De Ruyter hired George Fivaz Forensic & Risk to conduct a private investigation instead of the four specialist companies chosen by Eskom.<\/p>\n
It is believed by some that De Ruyter bypassed necessary protocols to initiate the investigation and was not properly vetted by the State Security Agency during his tenure as Eskom CEO.<\/p>\n
Scopa member Sakhumzi Moyo has raised concerns that the investigation posed a risk to Eskom.<\/p>\n