The Daily Maverick recently quoted former US president, General Dwight D Eisenhower, as follows: “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.”

How many people in government in South Africa actually think integrity is either important or necessary? Many citizens have concluded that in the ANC, a lack of integrity, and downright rapaciousness and greed are almost indispensable qualities for promotion – and retention – of office.

What seems to count far more than competence is the ability to create opportunities for oneself and supporters and friends to eat at the trough, while pretending to care about the poor, the hungry and the oppressed.

The sensational interview conducted by Annika Larsen with Andre de Ruyter on 22 February and the faux-horrified reaction of ministers and the Secretary-General of the ANC, shows in stark terms the difference between someone of integrity and some whose knowledge of and possession of that quality appear to be slight.

De Ruyter was thought by many citizens to be enormously brave or a bit touched when he accepted the ESKOM job in the first place. The prospect of a messy ending to the appointment was there from the first day. And so, it turned out. The moment he revealed his hand in the fight against corruption at ESKOM and came across as being determined to restore good governance, he was a marked man, no longer regarded as a reliable team player.

Now he has lifted the lid on a fraction of the looting, the remarkable tolerance of some of the most senior people in government for criminal activity, the inaction and corruption in the supply chain with no consequences for criminals, the stealing of a billion Rand a month and the gross and vulgar display of swindled wealth by some suppliers, he has been vilified by ANC people. Suddenly he is described as an incompetent failure.

Add to that the previous statement by Minister Mantashe that de Ruyter was committing treason against the country by imposing load-shedding, and the cowardly failure by President Ramaphosa to defend the man he appointed to the ESKOM job, and character assassination is clearly the defence the government has chosen.

Fortunately, our people are not all ignoramuses. Many have noticed there have been no statements dealing with the de Ruyter revelations. Has Minister Cele demanded a report on the progress of the attempted cyanide poisoning? Or the progress of the case against those involved in selling R320 knee pads at R80 000?

After the interview, I tweeted as follows: “Jaw-dropping interview on eNCA by Annika Larsen/Andre de Ruyter. He didn’t say so, but Mantashe, Gordhan & Pres Ramaphosa ought to resign immediately. Knowledge about ESKOM corruption goes right to the top; they did nothing about it.”

Instead of the usual rather modest reaction, Twitter reported 114 thousand impressions. Thousands have responded. Apart from the trolls, EFF groupies, racists, Zuma supporters and a few ANC loyalists, the overwhelming number of people commented favourably on my posting. South Africans seem to be waking up to the realities of our country; increasingly one hears the rejection of corruption and its frightful consequences, especially for the poor.

Not everyone in the ANC is corrupt. Every party has some good people. One hopes the voters will use their power in 2024 to send the corrupt and the inept to the rubbish dump or, better still, to jail, and replace them with people of integrity.

Douglas Gibson is a former opposition chief whip and former ambassador to Thailand. His website is douglasgibsonsouthafrica.com

This article first appeared in The Star newspaper.