Category: Crime & Corruption News

Eskom fraud and corruption accused Michael Lomas, has been granted R2 million bail by the Johannesburg High Court.

Lomas appeared in court on Monday and is facing charges in relation to a R745 million payment made by Eskom to Tubular Construction Project.

The company was involved in the construction of Kusile Power Station, in Mpumalanga, where millions of rands were allegedly paid to Eskom officials in illegal gratuities for the awarding of lucrative contracts.

The British businessman, a former contractor for power utility Eskom, was extradited from the United Kingdom in September 2024 to face 65 counts of corruption

Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Henry Mamothame, said Lomas’ bail was granted under “stringent conditions”.

The court ordered that his United Kingdom passport and his South African Identity Document be surrendered to the investigating officer.

“[Lomas is] barred from applying for travel documents, reside at a care home where he will be provided with the necessary assistance, details of the home to be provided to the investing officer, source a smartphone with location monitoring facility to be monitored by the investigating officer and should not leave the Gauteng jurisdiction without informing the investigating officer,” Mathomane said.

Lomas has been indicted with 11 co-accused in the case, including Eskom’s former senior manager for capital contracts, France Hlakudi, former Eskom group executive for group capital Abram Masango, Tubular Construction Projects’ former chief executive, Antonio Trindade, and businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana.

The trial is expected to commence in July 2026.

Police have launched a manhunt for a gang of about 30 men who allegedly bombed five ATMs at a shopping mall in Hammanskraal, Tshwane, over the weekend.

According to a statement issued by the police, the incident took place in the early hours of Sunday.

A security guard was conducting patrols outside the mall when he was allegedly accosted by the suspects, who were driving a bakkie.

“The suspects robbed him of his firearm and proceeded inside the shopping mall, where they robbed the second security officer of his cellphone. It is further alleged that the suspects then bombed the five ATMs and broke into one of the shops where they also bombed the drop safe,” the police said.

As suspects were leaving the shopping mall, they saw the police officers and started firing shots.

“A shootout ensued between the police, private security officers and the suspects. One of the security officers was shot and wounded. He was taken to the nearest medical care centre for treatment,” the police said.

The police said no arrests have been made and authorities are still on the lookout for the suspects.

“It cannot be confirmed at this stage how much money was taken from the ATMs and the shop.”

At least six people are expected to appear in court this week in connection with a fraud scheme at the Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga.

According to Eskom, the six were arrested last week following a “coordinated intelligence-driven operation” and investigation.

“[Six] individuals were arrested for their involvement in a fraudulent procurement scheme at Kusile Power Station. Among those apprehended are a former Kusile Procurement Officer and a Procurement Manager.

“Investigations revealed that in 2018, a pump was unlawfully procured for R857 977, despite an identical pump with the same serial number having been purchased in 2015 for only R18 835. This fraudulent transaction led to a direct financial loss for Eskom,” the power utility said.

A further two suspects are still at large with law enforcement in pursuit.

“These arrests form part of the ongoing efforts by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) Energy Safety and Security Priority Committee to address fraud, corruption, and criminal activities within Eskom, its supply chain, and South Africa’s broader energy infrastructure.

“Eskom continues to collaborate closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate fraud and corruption cases. While these investigations are thorough and time-intensive, the latest arrests highlight significant progress in ensuring accountability and justice,” Eskom said.

Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane said: “Our commitment to eliminating corruption within Eskom remains unwavering. By far the vast majority of our employees demonstrate integrity and dedication, and those who engage in wrongdoing will increasingly face investigation and action.”

Report any fraud, theft, and illegal electricity sales via the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.

The police’s Anti-Gang Unit have arrested two people in two separate incidents of murder, attempted murder and possession of drugs in Nigel and Naturena in Gauteng.

In the early hours of Wednesday, members of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) acted on intelligence regarding a wanted suspect linked to a murder and attempted murder case in Nigel.

Upon arriving at an identified place in Nigel, a 25-year-old man was found and identified as the wanted suspect.

In a separate incident on the evening of Tuesday, members received information regarding another wanted suspect connected to a murder case reported at SAPS Langlaagte.

“Initial leads directed the team to Westbury, however, the suspect was not located at that address and the team was further led to a residence in Naturena,” the police said in a statement.

While there, they encountered a 26-year-old female who identified herself as the wanted suspect’s girlfriend.

During their inquiry about the suspect’s whereabouts, the members were informed that he had been arrested the previous day on unrelated charges.

Upon requesting permission to search her, the female voluntarily disclosed that her bag contained illegal substances.

A subsequent search revealed over 300 mandrax tablets, ziplock bags containing crystal meth, with an estimated street value of R15 050 and cash. The female suspect was arrested for possession of drugs.

Police rescued a 55-year-old Pakistani businessman and arrested four kidnappers in different locations in Gauteng on Thursday, following an intelligence-led operation.

“According to a preliminary report, the victim was kidnapped in Graaff-Reinet, in the Eastern Cape, earlier last month, by an unknown group of individuals who introduced themselves to the victim as immigration officials,” the South African Police Service 9SAPS) said in a statement.

“The victim allegedly accompanied these individuals to the nearest police station, but never returned home,” the police said.

The victim’s family reported the kidnapping to the police after the kidnappers had allegedly demanded a ransom for the release of the victim.

A multi-disciplinary team comprising members from National Crime Intelligence, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in the Eastern Cape (DPCI – HAWKS), DPCI Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS), Soweto Flying Squad and private security arrested two South Africans and two Pakistani nationals.

One kidnapper was arrested in Killarney and an unlicensed firearm was seized during the arrest.

The team also seized a vehicle during the operation.

The suspect led the team to the location of the victim in Evaton where two more kidnappers were arrested.

Further investigation resulted in the arrest of a fourth kidnapper in Benoni. A vehicle which is believed to have been used in the commission of the crime was also seized.

The four suspects are expected to appear before a magistrate’s court soon, while further investigations continue.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has instructed her department to lodge a high court application for a declaratory order regarding the Driving Licence Card Machine (DLCM) tender found to have been irregular by the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA).

The department on Wednesday said the declaratory order is being sought to get guidance on how to proceed, given the findings of the AGSA audit report.

In September last year, the Minister requested the AGSA, who at the time was undertaking an audit of the procurement process for the new DLCM, to widen the scope of the audit process to include whether Supply Chain Management (SCM) prescripts were followed to the letter, and if the specs of the project included adequate measure to protect the safety of personal data, given the sensitivity of information and security features involved in this project.

The AGSA identified instances of non-compliance with the required procurement processes.

“The non-compliances emanated from transgressions of SCM prescripts (Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Treasury Regulations and Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) SCM policies, rendering the procurement process irregular,” the Department of Transport said on Wednesday.

The AGSA audit of the DLCA SCM processes revealed irregularities in the tender evaluation.

IDEMIA, the winning bidder, failed to meet key bid technical requirements. Additionally, the AGSA review confirmed that the other bidders were not unfairly disqualified, as they also did not meet the bid technical specifications.

All bids submitted exceeded the R486 385 million budget set by the DLCA, indicating inadequate market analysis and budgeting.

The AGSA found that the DLCA used outdated pre-COVID-19 prices, and the budget they submitted to Cabinet for approval did not include all the costs for the contract, leading to Cabinet approving a memo that was not a true reflection of the cost of the contract.

“This poses the risk of the project being delayed or cancelled due to insufficient funds,” the AGSA said in its report.

The AGSA also noted that the bid specifications included an adequate assessment of the ability of the system to protect personal data. All bidders were evaluated on this criterion, and some were responsive.

According to the AGSA, the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) deviated from assessing the bids using the exact criteria set out in the bid specifications when evaluating documents provided by bidders.

“The BEC members had to use their judgement and make executive decisions on how to assess the bids due to ambiguous bid specifications, which did not clearly address the DLCA requirements. This ambiguity led to discrepancies identified by the AGSA, resulting in an unfair and non-transparent procurement process.

“The inconsistencies extended beyond technical evaluation to site visits conducted by the DLCA. During these visits, the DLCA was supposed to confirm that the MX8100 machine proposed by the bidder, IDEMIA, had the required capacity and capability to deliver on the requirements. The DLCA chose to inspect an unrelated machine”.

The AGSA said the deviation from the bid specifications and the use of ambiguous criteria undermined the fairness and transparency of the procurement process.

“It is on the basis of the above that the department is in no position to turn a blind eye on the findings of the AGSA that points to irregularities in the tender process and the transgressions of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

“In terms of section 81 (1) of the PFMA, an accounting officer for a department or a constitutional institution commits an act of financial misconduct if that accounting officer wilfully or negligently… makes or permits an unauthorised expenditure, an irregular expenditure, or a fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

“Consequently, Minister Creecy has instructed the department to lodge a high court application for a declaratory order for guidance on how to proceed, given the AGSA audit report,” the department said.

Eskom, in collaboration with the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) Energy Safety and Security Priority Committee, is continuing its crackdown on criminality within the organisation.

This after the power utility and law enforcement executed several arrests related to theft and corruption over the past few months.

“The ongoing efforts have resulted in a series of arrests, with the financial impact of these crimes totalling R1.09 million.

“To date, R873,000 has been recovered and sentencing has been executed. These arrests highlight the ongoing fight against internal and external criminal activities affecting Eskom’s operations,” the power utility said.

Some of the arrests made include that of an Eskom employee and his brother for theft, an Eskom official and security contractor for diesel theft and a weighbridge operator involved in fraudulent fuel transactions.

“An Eskom supplier and his brother in eMalahleni and Middelburg were arrested…for the theft of 16 dome valves valued at R173 000 from Tutuka Power Station. The arrests follow extensive internal and external investigations dating back to 2023.

“In a separate incident, an Eskom employee and a contracted Security Officer were arrested for diesel theft at Kriel Power Station in Mpumalanga. Eskom’s Group Security and Investigation team apprehended the suspects after observing suspicious activity.

“The investigation resulted in the seizure of…fuel trucks, which are now part of the inquiry and the arrest of the Eskom Weighbridge Operator, and the contracted Security Officer charged for theft of diesel worth over R700 000.”

Furthermore, an official has also appeared in court to face charges of corruption.

“On Thursday, 21 November 2024, the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court granted a R50 000 bail to Nonhlanhla Nhlabathi, an Eskom employee accused of corruption at Arnot Power Station in Mpumalanga. Her case has been remanded to 12 March 2025 for trial at the Middleburg Regional Court.

“While employed at Arnot Power Station, Nhlabathi allegedly extorted R220 000…from two individuals, falsely promising them a tender to supply toilets, stationery, uniforms, and baton sticks.

“Nhlabathi was formally charged by the South African Police Services (SAPS) Organised Crime – Eskom Deployment Investigation Team on 4 November 2024 and has since been dismissed following an internal disciplinary process,” Eskom said.

Last month, another suspect was sentenced to five years imprisonment after being convicted of theft of critical infrastructure at the Matimba Power Station in Limpopo.

Eskom assured South Africans that it is committed to “eradicating crime and corruption” within the power utility.

“While most of our employees are honest and dedicated, a small minority engages in criminal activities and must be identified and dealt with decisively. Eskom remains steadfast in its commitment to eradicating criminal activities within its operations.

“To strengthen governance and combat corruption, [Eskom] has restructured its forensic, security, and investigative functions under the newly established Group Investigations and Security Division, which now reports directly to the Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane.

“Through collaboration with the NATJOINTS Energy Safety and Security Priority Committee, Eskom ensures that crime and corruption incidents are swiftly and effectively addressed, safeguarding its assets, and maintaining stakeholder trust. The conviction in the Matimba Power Station case sends a strong message that acts of crime targeting critical infrastructure will not be tolerated,” Eskom concluded.

Two suspects are to appear in court soon for the alleged illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and drugs as well as the possession of illegal explosives, Western Cape police said.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the 41-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man were arrested on Monday at a storage facility in Stikland where a package containing two kilograms of heroin was confiscated.

The arrests come as a multi-disciplinary team comprising Anti-Gang Unit investigators, Crime Intelligence (Counter Gangs and Narcotics) and Visible Policing Anti-Gang Unit members swooped on storage facilities and seized illegal firearms, ammunition, explosives and drugs.

“The discovery took place in Bellville South as well as in Stikland. The operation, which was the culmination of weeks of observing the movements of suspects resulted in the discovery,” said the police in a statement on Tuesday.

In Bellville South, police found three AK47 rifles, an R5 rifle and ⁠one assault rifle, 12 9mm pistols and two revolvers, among others.

“As the investigation continues, the possibility of further arrests effected cannot be ruled out. The efforts of the team have been commended by SAPS management as the Western Cape battles shooting incidents that result murder and attempted murder cases,” said the SAPS.

A police officer arrested for the alleged illegal possession of two firearms and ammunition, is expected to appear in the Odendaalsrus Magistrates Court today, said the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (HAWKS).

According to the Hawks in the Free State, in January this year, Welkom-based Hawks detectives received information about a man who kept unpermitted firearms at his house. The said house was observed and confirmed as belonging to the 53-year-old suspect.

“After obtaining a search and seizure warrant, a multi-faceted team of the Hawks, Tactical Response Team (TRT), SAPS detectives, and Local Criminal Record Center (LCRC) was assembled. They descended on the house early hours of 27 February,” said the Hawks on Friday.

Free State Head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, has praised members involved in the operation for their swiftness.

“No one is above the law. This arrest is evidence of our commitment to rooting out criminality, even within our ranks,” she said.

Investigation to ascertain the involvement of these firearms in other crimes is underway.

The Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr Michael Masiapato has applauded the arrest of two immigration specialists at the Beitbridge port of entry by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).

The arrests on Monday evening followed an ongoing investigation linked to the case of immigration specialist Dorah Ncube, who was arrested last year for fraud and corruption related to the illegally processing of six Malawian nationals at Beitbridge.

According to the BMA, Ncube remains in police custody.

The arrested officials appeared before the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The authority said it has continuously reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and remains committed to upholding the integrity of South Africa’s border management systems.

“We continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies in their investigations to ensure that those involved in corrupt activities are held accountable.

“The BMA will not tolerate any misconduct that undermines the rule of law and the security of the country. We assure the public that decisive action will be taken against any official found to be involved in unethical practices,” said Masiapato.

The BMA continues to curb corruption within its systems. Currently, it is processing 45 cases that are still to be concluded with transgressions including aiding and abetting as well as illegal processing of travellers and goods.

About 27 officials have been dismissed since the BMA’s inception on 1 April 2023.

Further updates on the arrests of the two officials will be provided as investigations progress.