De Ruyter labels Ramaphosa as “country-club manager” instead of president

Former Eskom CEO has said in his new book that Ramaphosa is more of a country club manager than a president. In his newly released book titled “Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom,” former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter has voiced his concerns about the South African President’s commitment to the ANC party line. In addition, the book delves into their communications regarding the country’s transition to renewables, according to BusinessTech.

According to de Ruyter, in March 2020, President Ramaphosa urged him to ensure that Eskom played a significant role in the transition to renewable energy, despite the ANC’s alleged support for coal. De Ruyter recalled being impressed by the President’s immediate understanding of the complex climate plan during a private meeting in July 2022, seeing him as intelligent and capable. However, he questioned whether President Ramaphosa possesses the leadership capacity to address the nation’s pressing issues.

De Ruyter’s candid assessment portrays the President as more of a genial country-club manager than a decisive leader. The former CEO believes that Ramaphosa prioritises keeping everyone content as long as they align with the ANC’s values. De Ruyter stated, “You can play darts, I can play golf, someone else can play tennis – and as long as everyone is happy and wearing the same green, black, and yellow T-shirt, the president is happy.” However, he asserts that this approach, while suitable for managing a country club, falls short when governing a nation.

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De Ruyter points to an incident following the 2021 State of the Nation Address (SONA) as an example of the President’s backtracking due to pressure from the ANC. Initially, Ramaphosa emphasised the private sector’s role in job creation but later retracted his comments favouring a developmental approach where the government creates jobs. De Ruyter argues that maintaining peace within party ranks should not come at the expense of effective governance.

The former Eskom executive argues that South Africans should judge Ramaphosa based on how the country is run rather than how he handles internal party matters. He emphasises that other world leaders are evaluated based on their country’s performance, not party politics.

De Ruyter’s book is critical of the government’s failures and has participated in public disputes with the ANC for several months. He accused ANC officials of corruption at Eskom, reporting the activities to a senior minister who was already aware of the situation. As a result, he was relieved of his duties at Eskom and went into hiding. The ANC denied his allegations and threatened legal action, leading the Gauteng High Court to grant the party the right to serve defamation papers to de Ruyter in Germany.

While BusinessTech reached out to the presidency for a response, there has yet to be an official statement as of publishing.

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Picture: Twitter / Spriter99880