An Eskom employee linked to alleged tender irregularities at the Kriel power station was arrested after an almost one-year-long investigation by the ailing power utility’s forensic department.
Eskom said it received a tip-off from a member of the public in October last year about alleged corruption relating to a tender provision of coal yard lighting for a period of 12 months at the power station.
The utility’s investigation revealed that after the tender’s closing date, four service providers responded to the request for proposals.
“After all necessary evaluations, the buyer approached the key stakeholders involved in the evaluation process to request the supplier to submit another bid with an inflated price, with an understanding that the difference between the original price and the new price would be shared among themselves,” Eskom said.
It said the supplier then submitted another bid with a new tender value almost double that of 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 October 21 2022.”
One of the recipients of the money then reported the incident to Eskom’s forensic department and a criminal case was opened at the Boksburg police station.
“An amount of R25,000 was also handed to the police station. The criminal case was then transferred to Kriel police station.”
It said another payment of R25,000 made to the same recipient in March this year was also handed to the police as evidence.
On July 20 the whistle-blower informed Eskom there would be a third transaction and Eskom alerted the police about the pending exchange of money.
The accused, who is employed as a project co-ordinator at Kriel power station, was arrested and a case of corruption was opened.
The utility said the accused appeared in the Middelburg specialised commercial crime court on Monday and was released on bail. “The arrest of all the role players in this matter is imminent,” it said.
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