Andre Marinus de Ruyter

In December 2019, he was appointed CEO of Eskom, South Africa's state-owned electricity company. On 14 December 2022, it was reported that he would soon step down.

De Ruyter published a book, Truth to Power, in May 2023, which detailed his three years at Eskom, and the level of alleged pillaging, looting and political interference that contributed to the energy provider's downfall.

Early life and education De Ruyter was born in Pretoria in 1968. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Pretoria, a Bachelor of Civil Law certificate and Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of South Africa, and a Masters of Business Administration from the Nyenrode Business University.

In December 2022, power cuts reached their severest levels ever. That same month, it emerged that de Ruyter had been criticized by Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and Chairperson of the ruling African National Congress. Mantashe called de Ruyter a "policeman" and accused Eskom of "agitating for the overthrow of the state".

On 22 February 2023, de Ruyter resigned with immediate effect, and Chief Financial Officer Calib Cassim was appointed as interim CEO.

His resignation followed an interview he gave to eTV. He alleged that theft and graft were leading to losses of R1 billion per month from Eskom, that a senior ANC MP was involved, and the police investigating his poisoning "confused a dose of cyanide with a sinus complaint". He also claimed that the Central Energy Fund had proposed to convert coal plants to gas operation following a visit by the Russian Minister of Energy, and noted at the same time that Russia was "very long on gas"; in response, the Fund accused him of "recklessness" and said that the proposal was made in view of the "base load capacity challenge". The Secretary General of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula, demanded evidence to substantiate the claims, threatened to "take action", and insisted that the ANC "is not corrupt".