By Alec Hogg
Former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter reminds me of politician Gayton McKenzie. Both were very obviously passed over when diplomacy genes were handed out. They’re refreshingly filter-free – excruciatingly so for anyone who expects any measure of discretion in their engagements.
When you live in a country like South Africa, where misguided dogma has destroyed so much opportunity, there’s a lot to be said for truth-bomb-droppers like these two. But it sure makes life uncomfortable for those around them.
___STEADY_PAYWALL___Rob Hersov couldn’t have been charmed when Gayton told BNC#5 delegates (and more than 100k who watched the keynote) he’d turned down the entrepreneur’s offer of R1bn in funding for the PA. Ditto Eskom’s coal-promoting chairman Mpho Makwana, one of many whose credibility is in tatters after De Ruyter’s explosive book. Makwana is also the chairman of Nedbank, SA’s renewables-backing “Green Bank”.
I spent most of yesterday putting on a video package of my “email interview” with De Ruyter. It’s now up on BizNews – click here. Unfortunately, the closest AI voice I could find for him was ‘American Joey’ from Amazon Web Services. So be prepared to hear the boy from Bronkhostrpruit like you’d never imagined possible.
Sterkte
Alec
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