South Africa’s Eskom says police investigating alleged poisoning of CEO3 hours in the past

South African energy utility Eskom on Sunday stated police had been investigating whether or not an try was made to poison its outgoing Chief Government Officer Andre de Ruyter.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan additionally advised Reuters on Sunday the alleged incident “can be totally investigated” and anybody accountable charged.

With out giving any particulars, Gordhan stated an intense battle was happening “between those that need South Africa to work and thrive and those that need to corruptly enrich themselves”.

Confronted with political strain, De Ruyter resigned on Dec. 14 after failing to resolve a disaster in Eskom that has led to document energy cuts in Africa’s most industrialized financial system.

After formally taking workplace in January 2020, De Ruyter led a company-wide clampdown on corruption and arranged felony behaviour, together with sabotage of infrastructure, at Eskom crops. His final day in workplace can be March 31.

“Eskom can’t remark additional on the poisoning incident involving the group chief government, which occurred throughout December 2022, because the matter is topic to police investigation,” the utility’s head of safety stated in an announcement.

Reuters couldn’t instantly attain De Ruyter for remark.

The alleged cyanide poisoning was first reported by specialist power publication EE Enterprise Intelligence on Saturday.

Opposition social gathering the Democratic Alliance on Sunday known as for decisive motion towards felony syndicates that it stated had been “hell-bent on cementing their stranglehold on Eskom that’s destroying the financial system”.

The South African police companies didn’t instantly reply to Reuters’ request for remark. Eskom’s board chairman Mpho Makwana was additionally unavailable.