Key topics:
- Eskom employee processed R450 million in fraudulent orders at Kusile Power Station.
- SIU confirms employee received kickbacks, and several suppliers blocked.
- Kusile Power Station linked to past corruption, including a high-profile fraud case.
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By Myles Illidge
It remains unclear how long an Eskom employee at the Kusile Power Station got away with processing dodgy purchase orders after hours, for which she received kickbacks.
On 12 February 2025, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) revealed that its investigations at Eskom power stations had flagged after-hours purchase orders at Kusile amounting to R450 million that were processed by one employee.
The staff member in question is currently facing disciplinary procedures.
MyBroadband asked Eskom and the SIU about the purchase orders and how long this employee was able to process the dodgy transactions before being caught.
Eskom didn’t answer our questions and shared a statement on the SIU’s investigation, which is understandable considering the case is ongoing.
The SIU hadn’t responded to our query by publication.
In its statement, Eskom said the SIU’s investigation spans nearly 20 years, from 1 January 2003 to 2 December 2022. However, the findings at Kusile Power Station are not mentioned.
“The Eskom partnership with the SIU and other law enforcement agencies is premised on holding accountable those implicated in wrongdoing, recovering financial losses, and strengthening governance processes,” it said.
SIU forensic investigation specialist Viven Govender said it had been confirmed that the employee was receiving kickbacks for the suspicious transactions.
“I would say a big percentage of these transactions were facilitated by one individual at Kusile. That individual has subsequently been subjected to a disciplinary process,” he said.
“We have evidence that she has received financial gratification from the suppliers that have been identified.”
Implicated service providers have since been blocked from conducting business with Eskom.
“These POs were issued to the specific groupings of one and two. Group one and group two, I can confirm, the majority of the service providers have been blocked,” said Govender.
The SIU’s data showed that most flagged transactions were processed between 18:00 and 24:00, while the implicated individual also processed several between 00:00 and 07:00.
These transactions totalled R462 million. In comparison, Duvha was the power station that processed the next-highest number of after-hours purchase orders.
These transactions amounted to R35 million.
The SIU’s data on purchase orders processed after hours across 14 Eskom power stations is summarised in the chart below.
One of many alleged Kusile thieves
Kusile Power Station has been in the spotlight over allegations of corruption for several years.
Michael Lomas, a former Eskom contractor who provided services at the Kusile Power Station, was arrested in 2021 over allegations of fraud, unauthorised rewards, corruption, and money laundering amounting to R745 million.
He is one of five accused of the alleged crimes. Co-accused individuals include:
- France Hlakudi — former Eskom senior manager for Capital Contracts
- Abram Masango — former Eskom group executive for Group Capital
- Antonio Trindade — former Tubular Construction Projects CEO
- Maphoko Kgomoeswana — businessman
Six businesses owned by these individuals are also implicated in the allegations.
Lomas resided in the UK before he was extradited to South Africa in September 2024. The SIU welcomed his extradition and said his and his co-accused’s arrests were the direct result of its investigations at Eskom.
The process of his extradition began in April 2021, and South African prosecutors were only awarded the right to extradite Lomas in late 2022, after which they faced many delays.
The charges against Lomas and his co-accused stem from fraud and corruption surrounding Kusile Power Station upgrades between 2014 and 2017.
He could face a prison sentence of up to 15 years for allegedly paying bribes, and in August 2024, a UK judge dismissed arguments that he would be a suicide risk if his extradition were permitted.
“It is very hard to see how the appellant, a frail elderly man, would succeed in taking his life after being searched for dangerous objects and when surrounded by the escorting team,” said Judge Charles Bourne.v
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This article was originally published by MyBroadband and is republished with permission.
