André Marinus de Ruyter, born March 20, 1968, better known as André de Ruyter, is a prominent South African businessman and internet personality. Prior to reaching stardom, he previously worked at Sasol and Nampak.

André de Ruyter Bio:

Full Name:	André Marinus de Ruyter
Date of Birth:	March 20, 1968
Place of Birth:	Pretoria, South Africa
State of Origin:	Pretoria
Nationality:	South African
Occupation:	Businessman
Net Worth:	$10 million
Wife/Spouse:	Married

Early Life and Education

Born in Pretoria in 1968, De Ruyter obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pretoria.

He also holds a Bachelor of Civil Law certificate and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of South Africa, in addition to a Masters of Business Administration from the Nyenrode Business University.

Career

In December 2019, de Ruyter assumed the role of CEO at Eskom, South Africa’s publicly owned electricity company.

During his tenure, he aimed to combat ‘coal theft syndicates,’ emphasized renewable power, and faced criticism for neglecting maintenance, which contributed to a shift towards cleaner energy sources.

However, his leadership coincided with severe electricity blackouts in the country, the worst in its history.

On December 12, 2022, de Ruyter submitted his resignation as Eskom’s CEO. The following day, he unknowingly consumed a cup of coffee laced with cyanide at work, leading to medical treatment and a subsequent investigation by the South African Police Service for attempted murder.

Amid the severe power cuts in December 2022, de Ruyter faced criticism from Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and Chairperson of the ruling African National Congress.

Mantashe labeled de Ruyter a ‘policeman’ and accused Eskom of attempting to destabilize the state. In response to these allegations, de Ruyter resigned, citing a lack of support from the broader political context.

The Democratic Alliance’s Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, Ghaleb Cachalia, criticized Mantashe’s relentless campaign against de Ruyter, commending his efforts to combat corruption despite challenges.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa welcomed de Ruyter’s resignation, citing perceived incompetence, and called for the resignation of Pravin Gordhan, the Minister of Public Enterprises.

In January 2023, de Ruyter announced that power cuts would persist for the next two years. On February 22, 2023, he resigned abruptly, and Calib Cassim, the Chief Financial Officer, was appointed as interim CEO.

De Ruyter’s decision to resign came after an interview with eTV, during which he alleged that theft and corruption were causing substantial monthly losses at Eskom.

He claimed that a senior ANC MP was involved and criticized the investigation into his poisoning, stating that confusion between cyanide and a sinus complaint had occurred.

He also disclosed that the Central Energy Fund had proposed converting coal plants to gas operations following a visit from the Russian Minister of Energy, raising concerns about the Fund’s intention.

In response, the ANC’s Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, demanded evidence to support de Ruyter’s claims and vowed action against any wrongdoing.