Eskom, SIU take steps to recoup R3.8bn from Guptas, Molefe, Koko, Singh, others
In a statement on Monday, Eskom said the funds would be recovered from former board executives, the Gupta family and their associates.
CAPE TOWN – Eskom and the Special Investigating Unit have approached the North Gauteng High Court to recoup R3.8 billion lost to corruption at the power utility.
In a statement on Monday, Eskom said the funds would be recovered from former board executives, the Gupta family and their associates.
“Eskom suffered at least R3.8 billion in losses which it is legally obliged and morally burdened to recover.”
The power utility said the funds were used to illegally benefit the Gupta family and "entities controlled" by the family during their acquisition of Optimum Coal Holdings (OCH).
"This delectual claim for damages that Eskom suffered relates to the recovery of approximately R3.8 billion in funds illegally diverted from Eskom to help the Gupta family and its associates to acquire the operations of OCH, which owned the Optimum Coal Mining that supplied the Hendrina power station with coal," Eskom said.
Eskom seeks to recover damages from former employees Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Matshela Koko and Susan Daniels, as well as non-executive directors Ben Ngubane, Salim Essa, among others. “The further delectual claim for damages pertains to the payments that were unlawfully made to Trillian by Eskom executives.”
It has also named the Gupta brothers, Rajesh, Atul and Ajay.
“The Gupta brothers are currently fugitives from justice in South Africa and are based in Dubai, as well as Salim Essa, who is also a fugitive from justice.”
The power utility said that the SIU was investigating several contracts.
