Graft rife at Eskom - but unit thins culprits out

Conflicts of interest among Eskom employees are plaguing the power utility, according to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

- Molefe Seeletsa

SIU officials briefed parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) yesterday about its investigations into Eskom.

The probe spanned from January 2003 to December 2022.

The unit found 5 464 Eskom employees had failed to comply with the declaration of interest (DOI) policy by not completing the required forms, Viven Govender, chief forensic investigator at the SIU, told MPs.

Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against 3 875 Eskom employees, while 1 075 left through resignation, retirement or other reasons, he said.

Some employees were potentially linked to entities serving as the power utility's vendors, contractors, or suppliers, thereby creating a conflict of interest.

A total of 334 Eskom employees, including three executives and seven senior managers, had interests in companies, Govender said.

As a result, the SIU made 194 disciplinary action referrals to Eskom and 14 referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).