READER LETTER | Gordhan was wrong to ignore corruption at Eskom

The startling revelations by former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter have been a long time coming. Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan conceded that De Ruyter alerted him of cabinet brutes pulling the strings behind the scenes to milk the utility.

Gordhan, as a progenitor of the so-called “nine wasted years”, did absolutely nothing, even after President Cyril Ramaphosa established the investigative directorate to forestall any repeat of such. Was Gordhan expecting a conspiracy of silence on the matter to stay at the recesses of his mind while Eskom is hallowed out with impunity? If anything, both Gordhan and De Ruyter violated Companies Act.

It’s a contravention that borders on dereliction of duty in respect of their failure to entrust the board with the responsibility of investigating the matter. Gordhan should’ve foreseen the consequences of his omission with considerations for the public interest.

The governing party needs to appraise the obligation carried by Gordhan, which has unduly prejudiced the political standing of the movement in society. It’s a sad indictment on Gordhan that he turned a blind eye to impropriety while he projected an image of ethical leadership.

Methinks it’s repeat delinquency that served to conceal a complicated and intricate misdeed. It was the case with Ramaphosa, whose promise of a “new dawn” took a turn for the worse. He adopted a similar posture to pass the buck to the head of his presidential protection unit.

Yet, Ramaphosa actively concealed a robbery of unsummed cash in foreign currency at his Phala Phala game farm. Even hypocrisy has reached the exaggerated height of an unconscious blunder. Ramaphosa is shielded from censure and De Ruyter is apprised of his obligation to report to the police.

It’s a selective justice that would beget the masses to rise up in rebellion.

Morgan Phaahla, Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni