Truth to Power by André de Ruyter

Truth to Power (Collectible Copy of the Eskom Insider Memoir)

The Former Eskom CEO's Account of Cartels, Corruption and South Africa's Power Crisis

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom
• Author: André de Ruyter
• Publisher: Penguin Books, Cape Town
• Publication Date: 2023
• ISBN-13: 9781776390625
• Edition Details: First published 2023. Penguin Books softcover edition.
• Binding: Publisher's illustrated paperback wrappers, perfect bound, with a photographic cover.
• Physical Format: Large softcover (trade paperback) format.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
• Exterior / Wraps: The black printed paper wrappers carry a clean, glossy photographic front cover. The spine is printed in silver and pale blue and shows no obvious creasing. The back cover is clean. No creasing, tears or marks are evident to the wrappers.
• Interior: The text block is tight and well bound, with pages toned to a yellowish cream, typical of the paper stock. The pages are clean, with no markings, tears or stains.
• The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)

Synopsis & Historical Value

Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom is the 2023 memoir of André de Ruyter, who ran South Africa's national power utility from 2020 until his resignation in February 2023. It is a first-hand account of the years in which load-shedding came to dominate national life.

De Ruyter describes the large-scale corruption he found inside the utility and the private investigation he launched, which exposed several criminal cartels allegedly feeding off Eskom. He writes of political interference and sabotage, and of the pressures that led to his departure.

The book also makes his case that renewable energy is the cheapest and quickest answer to the country's power crisis. It is an important primary account of one of the defining institutional struggles of contemporary South Africa, and a useful record for readers following the politics of energy, governance and state capture.

Author Profile: André de Ruyter

André de Ruyter was born in Pretoria in 1968 and raised in Bronkhorstspruit and Pretoria. A South African businessman, he held executive posts at Sasol and headed Nampak before becoming chief executive of Eskom.

During his tenure at Eskom he reportedly targeted coal theft syndicates and oversaw a shift toward renewables. He resigned with immediate effect on 22 February 2023, and Truth to Power is his account of his time at the utility.