CAPE TOWN - Two Eskom employees and a supplier appeared in the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of theft, fraud and corruption.
According to a statement released by the power utility, the theft is in relation to theft of spares at its Tutuka power station valued at ‘hundreds of millions of rands’.
It said more arrests are expected in another fuel oil crime syndicate.
Eskom said the employees were arrested on Thursday and the supplier on Friday.
“All three suspects were charged with fraud, theft and corruption in a crime in which hundreds of millions of rands in goods and services have been paid by Eskom when such have not been delivered or rendered at the power station.
“The arrests followed months of internal investigative work by Eskom in cooperation with the law enforcement agencies in Mpumalanga,” the power utility said.
It said its investigation has revealed the existence of a syndicate responsible for the theft of approximately R100 million worth of fuel per month from the Tutuka power station.
“The suspects, Jessie Phindile Kubeka, who is a 51% shareholder in a supplier company, Eskom employees Sarah Nomsa Sibiya, a senior technician operator and Bhekizizwe Solomon Twala, a senior store person are all facing the same charges. They were released on bail of R5 000 each.
“Their trial has been set down for February 21, 2022,” Eskom said.
The power utility stated it is anticipating the arrest of a further four suspects implicated in the same scheme to be arrested during the course of next week and warrants of arrests were being prepared in relation to suspects involved in the fuel oil syndicate.
Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter said Eskom and the Tutuka power station continues to be the scene of the most despicable of crimes perpetrated by some of the very people tasked with the stewardship of this public institution and by unscrupulous suppliers.
“Whilst these investigations take a long time to come to fruition, the wins whereby arrests are made and criminals are brought to answer for their unlawful conduct goes a long way towards making a positive contribution to the rebuilding of the organisation,” de Ruyter said.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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