A month ago South Africans heard some hard truths about the state of the power utility, Eskom, from the outgoing CEO André de Ruyter. In an interview broadcast on television, De Ruyter made accusations about the role of criminal gangs as well as politicians in corruption that’s crippled the utility. The interview triggered his immediate departure  – he was due to leave some weeks later – as the ruling African National Congress rounded on him.

But, in my view, South Africans – particularly the new Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa – would be well advised to look more carefully at what De Ruyter said, rather than trying to discredit the messenger.

De Ruyter outlined four levels at which Eskom is being destroyed.

Firstly, there is the issue of a lack of political support from Cabinet for a renewal strategy for Eskom which De Ruyter attempted to implement. The plan included dealing with crime, separating the existing entity into three different companies (generation, transmission and distribution) and over time, decarbonising energy generation. Effectively this meant, over time, closing coal-fired power stations and replacing them with renewable energy storage capability.

Read more: Explosive revelations about South Africa’s power utility: why new electricity minister should heed the words of former Eskom CEO, Prof David Walwyn, The Conversation, 14 March 2023