André de Ruyter wants to come home

Former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter said he wants to return to South Africa and believes it will be possible as the security threats subside with time.

De Ruyter left South Africa in a hurry last year following an interview with eNCA wherein he made serious allegations against ANC politicians and top government officials.

He highlighted that he was warned that his life was in danger and decided to leave South Africa.

“I was made aware that I had reason to be careful. Rather than wait around to see if the intelligence had merit, I decided to be prudent,” he said.

De Ruyter said he lived in a few European countries after leaving South Africa and laid low to ensure he did not attract attention.

He told Nuuspod’s Izak du Plessis that he stayed in accommodation provided by friends and contacts.

“It enabled me to be calm with the confidence that I am in a place where it will be difficult to track me down,” he said.

In August 2023, De Ruyter joined Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs as a senior fellow for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

He said he is not concerned about his security in America as it is a safe country and that the criminal networks that may target him do not extend that far.

While he loves his new job at Yale and enjoys living in the United States, De Ruyter still wants to return to South Africa.

“I would love to return to South Africa. It is my home and the country I grew up in. It is where I feel at home,” he said. “As great as America is, it is not my home.”

The former Eskom CEO said he assumes that the security risk associated with him exposing corruption will reduce in time.

This includes law enforcement targeting the criminals and culprits exposed by De Ruyter, and things will normalise as the storm around him subsides.

“In the end, I want to return to South Africa,” he said.

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This article was first published by Daily Investor and is reproduced with permission.