Pics: Truck Company Loses Assets Over Eskom R35m Fake Invoice Scam

The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), on Tuesday, seized assets of a transporter and an Eskom employee convicted on September 15, 2021, of defrauding Eskom of R35 million.

The transporter, Victor Vilosi Tshabalala of Megra Transport cc and his accomplice, Mosia Barnard Moraka, an Eskom Finance controller were found guilty of defrauding the company of about R35 million by using fake coal trucking invoices.

They both pleaded guilty to the charges.

They will be back in court on 3 February 2022 for sentencing proceedings.

NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said Moraka was a financial controller in Eskom’s Primary Energy division, and Tshabalala had a contract to transport coal for Eskom, via his company Megra Transport.

The two hatched up a plan in which fake invoices for routes not covered in the agreement between Eskom and Megra Transport would be paid.

Eskom lost around R35 million in the scam.

Assets worth around R11 million were seized, including properties linked to both the accused and 32 vehicles registered to Megra Transport CC.

A further three agricultural holdings in Springs, linked to a trust belonging to Tshabalala, were also restrained. The total estimated value of these three agricultural holdings is R1.8 million – and investigations are ongoing to trace further assets.

The Hawks, the Sherriff of the Court, and Asset Forfeiture Unit investigators went to addresses in Roodepoort, Cosmo City and Springs to execute a provisional restraint order, which was granted on 9 November by the High Court in Johannesburg.

Mjonondwane said the fraud was uncovered by Eskom’s forensic investigators after a whistleblower reported about alleged corruption.

The AFU will proceed with an application to institute a confiscation inquiry aimed at the recovery of the stolen funds in terms of the provisions of chapter 5 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

Megra transport cc