AFU secures forfeiture orders worth R33m over unlawful Kusile tender

The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has secured two forfeiture orders worth R33m in relation to an unlawful tender at Kusile power station.

The orders will see properties and vehicles forfeited to the state as they are the proceeds of "unlawful activities" at the power station.

According to the NPA's Lumka Mahanjana, the orders come after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into allegations of serious maladministration and corruption at Eskom.

"The preliminary investigations by the SIU revealed Eskom, in respect of this case, lost almost R400m from an unlawful tender granted to Tamukelo Business Enterprises.

"Eskom appointed Tamukelo, which provided water trucking services to the Eskom Kusile project site from approximately June 15 2009 to November 2020. Tamukelo then made payments to current and former Eskom officials. The findings implicated the members and representatives of Tamukelo."

Former Eskom employee Duduzile Babalwa Moyo, who was involved in the awarding of the tender and approving payments to Tamukelo, "received payments or benefits of more than R24m" from Tamukelo, according to the NPA.

She used "a convoluted structure of entities, as well as members of her family, to receive and use funds received from Tamukelo".

Other beneficiaries from the corrupt tender are:

• former Eskom employee Hlakudi Mangope;
• Siphiwe Mkhwanazi, former Tamukelo operations manager and sole member of Phuwanda Trading, which was a subcontractor to Tamukelo; ;
• Lloyds Muzi Sambo, chief operating officer and sole member of Tamukelo;
• Tamukelo founder from  June 7 2002 to October 13 2017 Mukelo Sambo;
• Lloyds Sambo's wife and former Tamukelo member Zenzile Carol Sanderson; and
• former Eskom employee Ntjie Kenneth Segooa.

The properties forfeited include: 

• property at Silver Lakes Extension 1 in Pretoria;
• Mercedes-Benz Viano;
• Chevrolet Utility 1.4;
• Casambo Lodge in Mbombela;
• farm in Mpumalanga;
• property in Stonehenge Ext 1 Mbombela registered in the name of M Sambo;
• property in White River, Mbombela;
• Subaru Impreza registered in the name of Zenzile Sanderson;
• VW Polo Vivo Blue Line registered in the name of Phuwanda;
• VW Polo Vivo registered in the name of Phuwanda;
• Yamaha Golf Car; and
• Yamaha Raptor 90 Quad Bike.

The NPA said: "The next step is for the properties to be sold at a public auction and the proceeds returned to Eskom. Criminal investigations are ongoing."

TimesLIVE