SIU freezes assets of Eskom employee in R8 million kickback scandal

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to freeze a luxury property in Polokwane and a car belonging to an Eskom employee accused of bribery and corruption.

This action follows an investigation that uncovered an alleged scheme where the Eskom employee, Johannes Mfalapitsa, and his family allegedly received at least R8 million in kickbacks from companies unlawfully favoured in a R54 million tender.

NETWORK OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
SIU Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the investigation revealed that a close-knit network of family and friends facilitated the alleged corruption.

“Some of the issues that were found in the investigation are a network of family and friendship ties at the heart of the scheme, systemic conflict of interest and abuse of power and funnelling of Eskom funds for private gain.”

Kganyago stated that Mfalapitsa occupied multiple conflicting roles in the tender process, in direct violation of Eskom's policy.

This abuse of power included:

Helping to draft the tender' scope of work.

Evaluating bidders' technical submissions.

Being appointed the project manager for the awarded contract.

“The order, granted by Judge M Victor, prevents Johannes Seroke Mfalapitsa (an Eskom surveyor and project manager), Ndiyafhi Denge (his spouse), and others from selling or dealing with the assets,” Kganyago confirmed.