The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has revealed that more than 300 Eskom employees exploited the utility’s tender procurement system, pocketing over R1 billion through corrupt dealings.
SIU head Lekgoa Mothibi briefed Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on Wednesday, outlining how money flowed from contractors through a network of entities to Eskom employees. "That is clear collusion," he stated.
Investigations found that 35 Eskom employees personally received over R100 million from vendors, while 5,450 employees were flagged for failing to disclose conflicts of interest. Hundreds were directly linked to Eskom’s suppliers.
SIU Chief Forensic Investigator Viven Govender highlighted how contractors often paid kickbacks to Eskom employees after business hours, pointing to strong evidence of collusion.
In response, Eskom has blocked around 45 vendors as authorities work to clamp down on corruption within the power utility.