Eskom moves to liquidate Gupta-linked firm Trillian to recover R600m

05 March 2020 - 12:20 By Nomahlubi Jordaan
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Power utility Eskom says it will institute liquidation proceedings against Gupta-linked firm Trillian to recover R600m.
Power utility Eskom says it will institute liquidation proceedings against Gupta-linked firm Trillian to recover R600m.
Image: REUTERS

Eskom will institute liquidation proceedings against Gupta-linked consultancy Trillian, after its appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) last month.

“Eskom will this month institute liquidation proceedings against Trillian Management Consulting and Trillian Capital Partners in the North Gauteng high court,” the power utility said in a statement.

In June 2019, the Gauteng high court ordered Trillian to return almost R600m in fees to Eskom that the court said appeared to be the result of a corrupt relationship between Eskom officials and the directors of Trillian.

The company then approached the SCA for an application for leave to appeal the high court’s decision of October 2019.

“This follows legal proceedings instituted by Eskom, asking for the liquidation of the Trillian entities, and joining Mr Eric Wood to the proceedings for failing to pay R600m that Eskom had irregularly paid to the entities during 2016,” said the power utility. 

In June 2019, Eskom approached the Pretoria high court for an order setting aside and declaring as null and void Eskom’s payment of about R600m to the Trillian entities.

“In October 2019, the court granted the order and ordered the Trillian entities to pay back the money within five days.

“This was part of the R1.6bn payment in a contract Eskom had entered into with McKinsey and Co. In 2018, McKinsey paid back more than R1bn, including interest, to Eskom.”

Andre de Ruyter, Eskom’s CEO, said: “Eskom has a moral duty and legal obligation to do everything it can to claw back all the monies which we illegally paid out during the height of state capture. This case is only one of many  in which Eskom’s management will attempt to recoup what is due to the people of South Africa.”


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