Eskom employee and accomplice face charges relating to R667 500 theft and fraud at Hendrina Power Station

8 July 2024

An Eskom employee and a service provider, who is an accomplice, made separate appearances before the Hendrina Magistrate Court on 01 and 05 July 2024. They were each granted bail of R30,000 after being charged for a crime committed at Hendrina Power Station the previous year.

Between January 2023 and April 2023, the service provider supplied 5 valve stems to Hendrina Power Station which were stolen from the same power station warehouse, as a result of working with the Eskom employee.

An internal investigation revealed that the Eskom employee had misused company resources without authorisation for their own personal gain and also falsified documents as the end-user. The Eskom employee resigned while a disciplinary action was being instituted.

Eskom suffered a financial loss of R667 500 because of this criminal activity.

Following a thorough investigation, the suspects were charged by the South African Police Service’s investigation team assigned to Eskom-related crime on 01 and 05 July 2024 as per the following case numbers CAS 40/05/2023 and CAS 62/10/2023. They will make their next appearance at the Middleburg Regional Court date on 29 July 2024.

“Eskom strongly condemns any fraudulent activity in its business operations and will not tolerate such behaviour,” stated Botse Sikhwitshi, the Acting General Manager for Security at Eskom.

“Our internal security investigations team will continue collaborating with the South African Police Service in ensuring that those who enrich themselves at Eskom’s expense are held accountable,” added Sikhwitshi.

Eskom urges members of the public to report unlawful activities, including illegal electricity sales and connections, fraud, theft of coal, fuel oil, diesel, and copper cables. Reports can be made anonymously through the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.

Issued by Eskom Media Desk, 8 July 2024