More of André de Ruyter’s allegations proven true
A recent arrest by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) substantiated former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter’s claim that criminals used car dealerships to hide luxury vehicles from lifestyle audits.
In his book, Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom, De Ruyter wrote that he observed ostentatious displays of wealth from even relatively junior staff members at the state-owned power utility.
“Watching the main exit gate of Megawatt Park from my third-floor window, I was astounded to see a number of Range Rovers, BMWs, Mercs and even a stray Porsche heading for the exit at 15:30,” he said.
Besides having questions about why so many well-paid individuals were leaving work just a few hours after lunch, De Ruyter noted that the flaunting of wealth wasn’t limited to fancy cars.
He saw Louis Vuitton handbags, equivalent to a month’s salary, Hermes dresses, Panerai watches, and Christian Louboutin shoes.
“I am not saying everyone driving expensive cars or wearing designer clothing obtained their wealth through illicit means, but it made me wonder where on earth the money came from,” said De Ruyter.
“Considering the opulence displayed by employees of a state-owned enterprise, it was certainly suspicious. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what was afoot.”
De Ruyter later described a Mpumalanga car dealership that housed luxury vehicles for corrupt individuals.
“The banal decadence was shocking,” De Ruyter wrote. He explained that the arrangement helped people who siphoned money from Eskom hide their assets and avoid being flagged in lifestyle audits.
“A certain car dealership in the coal belt specialised in housing fancy vehicles on behalf of their owners so that they didn’t show up in lifestyle audits,” he wrote.
“The vehicles, always held in the name of the dealership, would be available on demand, should the actual owner wish to take his Lamborghini for a spin on the potholed roads of Mpumalanga.”
Tenderpreneurs and Eskom cartels used the same trick
Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks also previously wrote about corrupt tenderpreneurs’ liking for the trappings of wealth, specifically sports cars.
Wicks explained that such corrupt individuals deal in cash. Millions in cash get handed over to the dealership, the car is delivered, but ownership is never changed.
“That car will then sit in dealer stock for all its life. There is no paper link to the beneficial owner. Problem solved,” Wicks said.
“Some dubious dealerships will hand over a wad of pre-signed temp plates. When one expires, put on a new one, and then there are no fines.”
The corrupt officials and politicians are typically tipped off if lifestyle auditors do eventually visit their homes for an inspection.
“The dealership employees will collect them in the dead of night. That way, having to explain this low-slung sports car in your garage is scotched,” he said.
“This way, our elected leaders never have to explain how they own cars worth several times their annual salaries, and they get to flex for the ‘slay queens’ at Rockets.”
In a recent Newzroom Africa interview, forensic investigator Dorothy Mmushi also confirmed that the practice was widespread.
She said that some car dealerships scheme with ‘tenderpreneurs’ to buy vehicles for government officials, but the cars are never registered in those officials’ names.
“In many cases, the car never leaves the dealership. In some cases, the system is used to launder money, while the cars are sent to a third party,” she said.
Special Investigating Unit crackdown on car dealerships
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently announced that Yusuf Omar, the owner of Omar’s Motor Den in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, had been arrested.
The SIU said the arrest was necessary because Omar failed to abide by a preservation order and violated an undertaking to cooperate in good faith with any investigation.
The case focused on a Bentley Continental GT linked to Hangwani Morgan Maumela in the SIU’s Tembisa Hospital investigation.
“The dealership failed to disclose that the car was in its possession when it was served with the preservation order on 9 October 2025,” the SIU stated.
The SIU’s investigation found that the car, a restrained asset under a preservation order, had been transferred multiple times over the years:
- 2018/2019: LSM Distributors moved it to the MHR Maumela Family Trust
- September 2022: DriveTime Auto bought the car
- October 2025: Omar’s Motor Den acquired it
- February 2026: It was transferred to Khonile Trading Enterprise
“Despite these transfers, evidence suggests the Bentley remains in Omar’s possession, raising concerns of concealment and dissipation,” the SIU stated.
“This chain shows an ongoing flow of value away from the restrained estate, and the Tribunal’s order… prevents further dealings until the matter is finally determined.”
However, when the SIU arrived at Omar’s Motor Den on 5 June 2026, the vehicle was nowhere to be found, and the dealership admitted it had sold the car.
“Yusuf Omar must appear before the Special Tribunal on 3 July 2026 to explain why they should not be held in contempt of court,” it stated.
“The Tribunal may impose imprisonment or other sanctions, and has ordered them to pay legal costs, with Yusuf Omar personally liable.”
Omar explains dealings with Maumela
In an interview with eNCA, Omar denied wrongdoing and said he was not involved in the Tembisa Hospital corruption nor an associate of Morgan Maumela.
“I had sold Morgan Maumela a vehicle in 2020 — a Mercedes-Benz G63. That was the only vehicle that I sold him. He traded in another vehicle, and he had done an EFT,” said Omar.
“That’s very important: he had done an EFT payment to Omar’s Motor Den. It was not cash. Then one of my salespeople delivered the vehicle to him.”
Omar also denied ever buying vehicles from Maumela. “Let’s stop there,” he said, interrupting the interviewer’s question.
“I have not bought any vehicles from Morgan Maumela. Let’s clear this up and let South Africa know I have not bought any vehicles from Morgan Maumela. Zero. From his associates, zero.”
The SIU responded to a specific claim in Omar’s interview with eNCA in which he reportedly said the Special Tribunal had released the cars.
“The Special Tribunal did not release Maumela-linked vehicles to Omar Motor Den without conditions,” the SIU said.
“The judgment clearly states those conditions. Omar Motor Den has now applied to the High Court to appeal this order.”
Photos of the Bentley Continental GT at Omar’s Motor Den
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