Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom (2024)

Andre de Ruyter's three years in charge of Eskom, were probably the hardest three years for any CEO to experience in business. He was at first reluctant to take the job at Eskom because of the escalation of Load Shedding at the time and started amid the crisis of stage 6 load shedding in South Africa for the first time. What he saw when he took over was beyond believe!! Corruption of the biggest scale by government official from top to bottom, gangs looting power station fuel supplies at will, mismanagement of power stations and a workforce that almost gave up on its mission to supply South Africa with power, and a government that was more worried about staying in power than to see Eskom generate power and trying to undermine the effort put in by De Ruyter and his team around every corner. Going along with government complicity in the looting of Eskom coffers, was the inability or sheer unwillingness of the police and security agencies of South Africa to do anything about it.

De Ruyter though took on this challenge with both hands, and the fact that he survived (literally and figuratively) three years in the job is almost a miracle. He did not stop load shedding as he had hoped, but he was a driving force in stemming most of the corruption in Eskom, catching crooks by the special investigation team he established using private sector funding, getting new green energy projects for more generating capacity and giving Eskom employees something to be proud of again.

He gives credit where it's due to people behind the scenes who is trying to turn the ship around and holds nothing back in showing who is to blame for the mess South Africa is in. He had to face up to charges of racism time and again only be exonerated every time to overcome racial politics and cadre appointments by the South African government.

Unfortunately in the end he resigned when his position became untenable and even survived an attempted assassination by poisoning in his final days at Eskom, as he obviously knew too much. Andre de Ruyter is a patriot and someone that wants to make a difference in South Africa for the better, and down the line history will acknowledge his contribution. He may not have stopped load shedding, which is still continuing and ruining the economy of South Africa bit by bit, but I think he turned the ship that is Eskom in the right direction to be able to end load shedding in the future.

The book is well written and easy to read, and at times it is so incredulous by what is going on in this country, but De Ruyter has spoken truth to power in this electrifying read. Thank you Mr. De Ruyter for your service!!

'The implication of this transition is clear: we must bid the old Eskom farewell. The notion of a vertically integrated monolithic monopoly that meets most of the power needs of a country is as superannuated as a state-owned telephone company.'

By no means perfect, but a very important book for South Africa's future.

Truth to power is not a book that I think warrants a rating. So, I will shoot right straight to my impression of its contents.

My impression of Andre after reading this book is of someone who refuses to acknowledge his part in the Eskom crisis and who would rather resort to pointing fingers at everyone else but himself. I mean he must have thoroughly assessed the Eskom situation in great depth before making up his decision of taking up the CEO role. If not then he was just foolish and not brave to take on a role that he claims was forgone by 28 of the countries top black executives before taking it. There were clearly red flags evident from the onset.

On the other hand Andre dishes out a lot of valid points on governance, leadership and operational issues affecting the performance of Eskom. He was clearly on the verge of a lot breakthroughs and would have seen them through, had it not been for the alleged interference of all the external influential parties he mentions. One also has to applaud his bravery in naming some of the criminal syndicates that are actively invested in looting and making sure that Eskom is never operating at its optimal level. Lastly, this book raises a lot of issues that are worth highliting for us citizens to ponder upon, before going to the polls in the upcoming year.

In summary, this was just a personal account on some of the difficulties endured by an Eskom Chief Exec in the course of his time at the SOE. It might initially also appeal to you as a book of excuses for the exec’s failures at the company, but there’s certainly more to it than that.

The sad Eskom reality

Andre gives a scathing analysis of the corruption at Eskom and the way Marxism further adds to the problems.

At a quick glance, Andre failed - loadshedding only became worse during his time. But in his book he details how he tried to uncover and tackle the corruption, incompetence and poor work ethic. That all at a huge cost to his health, safety and family.

I guess the fact that he went public on tv and now in his book will both gain him respect and hate. Is it the best way to tackle the situation? Maybe not. But how else could the truth come out?

Truth to Power by Andre de Ruyter is a remarkable book that deserves 5 stars and more. It is a courageous and insightful account of the challenges and opportunities facing South Africa's energy sector, and the role of the author as the CEO of Eskom, the state-owned power utility. De Ruyter does not shy away from exposing the corruption, mismanagement and political interference that have plagued Eskom and threatened to plunge the country into darkness. He also shares his vision and strategy for transforming Eskom into a sustainable, efficient and reliable provider of electricity for all South Africans. He shows how he has navigated the complex and often hostile environment of stakeholders, regulators, unions, politicians and civil society, while maintaining his integrity and commitment to the public interest. As a fellow South African, I admire his bravery and dedication to serving his country in such a difficult and important position. He is an inspiration and a role model for anyone who wants to make a positive difference in this beautiful but troubled land. Truth to Power is a must-read for anyone who cares about South Africa's future and the role of energy in shaping it.

5 Brkn Stars

De Ruyter doesn’t pull any punches in this book. It appears that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Eskom is a sick and dying company where the honest and hard-working employees have long ago left. Even if the ANC are pummeled at the polls in 2024, it will take years to undo the decades of neglect and looting.

The average citizen has two options. Those that can afford it should buy a gas stove, inverter, batteries and solar panels. Those that cannot afford it must learn to cook and heat with firewood.

just one side of a terrible story...

how to plunge a country into darkness and get rich at the same time...

from his side, shame he tried...

people forget, rome wasn't built in a day, you can't fix a lifetimes worth of problems overnight.

Well written and honest experience

De Ruyter succeeds in disclosing his innermost thoughts and beliefs regarding his contribution to Eskom’s performance over the recent period. He allows the reader to see the socio-political drivers that impacted the performance of one of the country’s most important economical pillars. It’s a very subjective exposé of what moved Eskom and leaves the reader with a lot to consider regarding the future of power development and the economic challenges that lies ahead for a country battling to find a sociopolitical model that will propel it out of poverty.

This book paints a very scary future for South Africa

De Ruyter should be commended for writing this honest look into Eskom’s (and the ANC’s) mismanagement and corruption - South Africans have the right to know why we are facing an energy crisis and why the government cannot seem to solve it.

Despite the shocking revelations De Ruyter provides, he comes across as someone who wanted to help South Africa and did his best to achieve that. His leadership style, at least the way he portrayed it in the book, is something I admire about him. He doesn’t lead by fear, but by making people feel like they are making a contribution. He was strict, as he should be - often berating plant managers for their poor management of power stations. Housekeeping, one of the most basic things in any plant, was often neglected. De Ruyter did not let that go. He would set the example and pick up rubbish himself. What a guy.

It’s very frustrating trying to convince someone who doesn’t listen to the data. De Ruyter had to deal with this for three years trying to convince the ANC how to solve the energy crisis. I deal with this issue in my work as well. It drains you.

The book paints a bleak picture of South Africa’s past and future. To repair coal power stations is costly and not economically feasible. Maintenance was neglected and reduced the overall lifetime of these plants. We can run them longer and reduce loadshedding at the cost of doing maintenance, but that thinking is what got us into this mess. Adding more capacity is imperative, but coal power stations is not the answer. They are too expensive to build, and does nit attract investment from international investors who want to decarbonise. There is some light at the end of the tunnel with legislation allowing independent power producers to tie into the grid. Previously, there was a ridiculous limit of 10 MW, which was later raised to 100 MW, then 1000 MW, and finally altogether abolished.

It remains to be seen if the ideological thinking of the ANC will get this right without De Ruyter. The new board and minister of energy doesn’t fill me with confidence. Household rooftop solar is a must.

Exceeded my expectations! Very insightful book on management, politics, operations and leadership.

This book and the man behind it are both mired in controversy. There are two framing narratives around de Ruyter's book.

One is that he was incompetent, given that load shedding (scheduled rolling blackouts) in SA has been at an all-time high in the country from December 2019 to February 2023(Andre's time as Eskom) and that this book is a way of admonishing himself from his failures.

The second is that he was indeed competent, but presided over the power utility's failures that had culminated from previous decades of severe structural neglect and corruption and had been thwarted in his efforts to address its problems.

For this review, I will abide by neither narrative/viewpoint that facilitates its controversy. I'll focus on whether the book was actually any good, and what I liked and disliked about it.

The author is articulate, straight to the point and clearly conveys whatever he means to say. Andre de Ruyter will deliver his message with a helpful inventory of humour and aphorisms/sayings. Given his straightforward writing style, the chapters do not feel like they drag on at all.

If you watch any interview of Andre, you'll immediately notice that he writes as he speaks. Moreover, the conclusions and his perspectives are all underpinned by logic, revealing his adherence to reasoning. This is an important note for a book like this, because, despite which narrative you subscribe to that define the controversy around this book, Andre will have done his research and thinks before he writes or speaks.

What I liked:

- The author is analytical and logical, his arguments, whether you believe them or not, are sound. This will help readers from any political orientation to at least sympathise with his worldviews and approaches because he substantiates it with facts and reasoning.

- de Ruyter revealed the depths and intricacies of how corruption, sabotage, regulation and politicking impede the performance of not only a power company but virtually any institution. It was like a mini crash course in politics alongside being a CEO's memoir.

What I disliked:

- Sometimes he'd go on a tangent and ramble about his grievances with individuals that served to stifle his duties as CEO. While understandably annoying for him, he had a way of making it annoying to me as well without necessarily garnering my sympathy. His personalised mug had a saying on it(alas, the same one that contained the poison of the assassination attempt on him), I thought it was ironic at times because it applies to him as well when ranting about Whatsapp calls and email chains he found annoying.

- Despite clearly being oriented towards the big picture, some, albeit minute sections of the book contained what felt like filler. Sometimes, to bring a point forward, he would begin with a relevant story, but then drag the story out and deliver underwhelming substance to the respecting point - leading to an anticlimactic effect. Note, this happens max twice as I recall.

In conclusion, I urge readers of all perspectives and political orientations to give this book a gander. Regardless of whether you believe this book is fiction or non-fiction, Andre will bring you much substance, and intense information underpinned by a solid foundation of reasoning. I really liked this book and I hope you will too.

A truly brave and raw account!

Cry the beloved country!

I may have left SA many years ago but what I read resonates with me and reminds me of the daily battles in the legal and labour fields (which compared to the author’s daily Everests were minuscule) and yet I felt his frustration, his disappointment, his anger and his hope for a better SA for all South Africans!

I commend him for his bravery and thoroughly enjoyed the detailed accounts of his 3 years at the beleaguered Eskom.

I hope (but doubt) this will wake up the government of South Africa to serve South Africans! To make good on its promises and that this will shake up enough people to make SA better for all.

Eish!

Very insightful personal account of the difficulties faced by Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter. Many of the ideas he had to provide South Africans with reliable electricity were not revolutionary. With the facts at hand, he struggled to influence the decision approvers to support these ideas. The reasons for this are both explicitly stated and implied in his book which provides a sobering insight into the opposition faced by those that want to improve the country.

read it!

Powerful, insightful and brave. Fascinating insights for business leaders and citizens alike. A difficult read as it exposes truths we would rather hide from. I hope it’s a turning point for South Africa

An astonishing read! I was expecting a political rant and I was given an insight into the complexity of operations involved in the provision of electrical energy in South Africa. There are revelations of corruption and ineptitude, but De Ruyter give credit also to the many people in Eskom who are committed to keeping the lights on.

Gobsmacking

Great book. If you really want to know what has been happening at Eskom, read it. What a mench this man is.

Andre de Ruyter takes you through the shocking truths behind Eskom and the problems within and around it.

A very engaging book, Truth to Power is a highly recommended read.

Man

Very readable book (although occasionally too self-absorbed, particularly at start). Paints a very sad picture of the state of South Africa, in vivid detail, literally ending with him as the head of the power utility - and largest in Africa - being poisoned by cyanide by figures linked to the ANC

Worth supporting

It's a recount of all the rot we all assume is festering inside most state-owned enterprises.

On the whole, the book is worth reading even though it seems to make the same point across a few chapters (corruption exists, SOE management is not held accountable the same way they would be in the private sector, the ANC can't/won't clean out the filth).

Despite these repetitive themes, it is still what appears to be an honest explanation from someone who is looking out for people other than himself.

Against All Odds

A frightening revelation of the current state of South Africa brought on my those who rule it.
I admire Mr de Ruyter for his determination to reveal the truth.
An excellent but chilling read.

A real eye-opener concerning the load shedding crisis in South Africa. De Ruyter took on an immense task upon his appointment as CEO of Eskom. The corruption he faced whilst addressing the South African government's dealings with Eskom were self evident. He is candid and names names. (He also withholds some for obvious reasons.) He is explicit in his descriptions of flagrant power station neglect and ineptitude. However, he adds that a lot of the workers at Eskom are genuinely trying their best but are hampered left, right, and centre by corruption and conspiracy.

This is a book written by an extremely brave man who shook up the system with his 'boots on the ground' approach.

A must read for all South Africans!

Stunning and dismaying, but with a leavening of hope. I am not South African but I did work in power generation for 13 years so I understand a lot of what the author is talking about. I was amazed at the struggles de Ruyter faced and deeply impressed at how he addressed them. He sounds like the sort of inspiring leader who brings out the best in his staff, if it's there to be found. As for the South African government - I used to think our politicians were crooked but these guys are on another level. I hope that this book is widely read and that it inspires some change for Eskom and the people of South Africa.

Shocking and horrifying at the same time. The author leaves one in no doubt as to the truthfulness of his story as CEO of the state-owned company that battles to keep afloat. Facts are backed up with credible evidence. There is no blowing of his own trumpet and he acknowledges his shortcomings and failures. A riveting read.

Astonishing account of corruption at all levels of South African society. Mpumalanga is where most coal is located in SA and is a gangster state - full of organised crime.

Interesting leadership insights from de Ruyter’s effort to turn Eskom around. In particular I like “Broken Window Theory” that can be applied to enhance culture in the workplace. It holds that a company should take care of the small issues first. Despite the huge “big picture” issues Eskom faced de Ruyter was obsessive over ensuring the little things were done right first (coal plants were kept clean, managers turned up on time, etc.).

A new South Africa awaits us.

Bravo Andrè - you are a wise, informed, and brave hero; a beacon of light and an example to us all!
By speaking truth to power, you have blown the whistle and given sound direction. You have decoded the ANC's underbelly and evil character. You deserve the highest order of South Africa for your book, services and patriotism.

Outstanding

An outstanding book that exposes the blatant corruption and inefficiency of the ANC and the capture of Eskom by criminal gangs, corrupt politicians, shady businessmen, inept union and lazy workers.

Explains vividly why South Africa, a wonderful country, full of potential, has collapsed; and shows the role that the ANC has played in bringing the rainbow nation to its knees.