A truck driver and an Eskom employee allegedly conspired to defraud Eskom by failing to deliver heavy fuel oil to the Matla power station in Mpumalanga worth R1 million.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said: “It has been found that Eskom employee Sphiwe Sindane, 36, and truck driver Loveless Mabaso, 41, who works for a company subcontracted to supply heavy fuel oil to Eskom were arrested on Wednesday after it was discovered that the pair allegedly sold and delivered heavy fuel oil to someone known to them.”
Eskom is believed to have received a fraudulent invoice claiming the fuel had been delivered.
In addition to suffering a great loss, the power utility was said to be dependent on heavy fuel oil for its production.
The pair appeared at the Kriel Magistrate’s court on Thursday, on a charge of theft and fraud.
A Priority Committee on Security Energy investigation led to the arrests of the two suspects, and 1586 other Eskom cases are being investigated, while 126 arrests have already been made.
Furthermore, the committee has recovered R1 billion in recovered items, including 42 firearms, and 83 loads of coal transported by 33-ton trucks, and mining machinery since it was established by SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola on 1 April 2022.
IOL