More arrests ‘imminent’ after corrupt employee nabbed for tender fraud, Eskom says

Eskom said further arrests are “imminent” after one of its employees was arrested in connection with alleged tender irregularities at the Kriel Power Station earlier this month.

The arrest on 20 July 2023 comes after a probe by Eskom’s Forensic department, which received a tip-off from a member of the public on 28 October 2022.

The parastatal said this prompted an investigation into alleged corruption relating to a tender for the provision of Coal Yard Lighting for a period of 12 months.

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the accused, who is a project coordinator at Kriel, appeared in the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Monday and has been released on bail.

“A search was conducted at the accused’s house in eMalahleni where an amount of R16 600 was seized by the police.”

Investigation

According to Eskom, the investigation revealed that the closing date, four service providers responded to the request for proposals (RFPs).

“Subsequent to all necessary evaluations, the buyer approached the key stakeholders involved in the evaluation process to request the supplier to submit another bid with inflated price, with an understanding that the difference between the original price and the new price would be shared among themselves.

“The supplier then submitted another bid with a new tender value almost double the initial amount and was appointed. The supplier started paying those involved an amount of R25 000 each on separate occasions, with the first payment made on 21 October 2022,” Eskom said.

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Corruption

Eskom said another payment of R25 000 was made to the same recipient in around March 2023 and was also handed in to the police as evidence.

“In a latest development, the whistle-blower informed Eskom that a third payment will take place on Thursday, 20 July 2023. Eskom alerted the police of the pending exchange of money.”

Eskom said while most of its employees are “hardworking” it was cognisant of the few who are “corrupt amongst us.”

“The arrest of the Project Coordinator and others in the past is therefore a step in the right direction in ridding the organisation of corruption and gives impetus to Eskom’s stance of zero tolerance to crime and corruption,” the power utility said.

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