Friday, February 7, 2025

FIRST WITH SECURITY NEWS

Thank Eskom private intel project for decrease in power blackouts says George Fivaz

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This time last year then Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter and former South African Police chief General George Fivaz were embroiled in a hostile exposé of the business-funded private intelligence operation at the buckling State Owned Enterprise (SOE).

A year on, ProtectionWeb interviewed Fivaz on the unprecedented intervention, which shook government, rudely awakening a country and slumbering intelligence agencies in full denial of the pivotal role of business intelligence operations.

But Fivaz believes the tide has not yet turned against corruption at South Africa’s SOEs, mainly because official security agencies fail to utilise extensive private intelligence capabilities.

“Andre de Ruyter looked at me and said – this could be the last chance to save Eskom and South Africa – do it!”

These words in December 2021 triggered a unique private intelligence operation – initially ignoring state law enforcement and intelligence agencies, yet ultimately providing proof-of-concept for business-driven private intelligence.

Fivaz and his George Fivaz Forensic & Risk outfit launched the operation against four major crime cartels – penetrating criminal leadership, identifying operational black sites and ultimately disrupting by mobilising National Defence Force and private security resources.

The stakes could not have been higher, with a paralysed Eskom in danger of a criminal take-over – taking South Africa with it whilst official agencies dithered.

De Ruyter was also personally targeted by cartel hit-squad surveillance and a poisoning attempt well into the project.

Fivaz put the ultra-secret private intelligence operation into motion after accessing funding from Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and other businesses.

“It had a liberating effect on Eskom top management  – and ultimately freed them from direct cartel intimidation and even control – it restored freedom of action and gave a fighting chance,” Fivaz told ProtectionWeb.

He added that criminal cartels operated with complete impunity with a hit-squad to take out internal critics standing in the way of wholesale plundering at the utility.

“The situation remains grave at Eskom in my view as with almost all other SOEs, but our operation gave Eskom management space to launch a fight-back – which our current Minister of Electricity is fully exploiting to keep the lights on,” said Fivaz.

The first National Commissioner of SAPS, appointed by President Nelson Mandela, Fivaz played a central role – long since forgotten by formal agencies – in crushing an upsurge in post 1994 Cash in Transit robberies and establishing Business Against Crime (BAC).

He rejects that only government can conduct intelligence operations against crime, citing not only Eskom but highly successful business/police intelligence operations whilst SAPS chief (1995-2000).

“The Eskom project was a huge leap in the right direction, even though state security agencies still believe crime information or intelligence is their sole prerogative. But South African crime statistics speak volumes with low crime detection and prosecution rates.”

“The sooner formal security structures realise that private intelligence can vastly improve their performance for the better,” maintained Fivaz.

He said the Eskom project proved that private intelligence and state entities could work together even on complex issues of vital national security.

“A positive yes! BAC developments with Neal Froneman now as chair is motivation for my opinion but it remains an effort to obtain the support of the private sector to fight crime more effectively even though using private intelligence to fight crime is not new.”

“State intelligence services are still not as effective as they should be and along with mistrust of government and formal state agencies the result is people in general are not at liberty to share info with state structures,” said Fivaz.

And that, Fivaz said, is one of the main reasons why private intelligence operations by the business sector can fill the gap and make a decisive contribution to South Africa.

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