An Eskom supply fraudster bought herself a R2.6m ticket to jail, if she breaks her strict sentencing conditions.

Supplier Ms Jessie Phindile Kubheka, a director and majority shareholder in one of the implicated companies, was sentenced by the Middelburg Commercial Crime court on August 22.

She received a 12-year custodial sentence, suspended for five years under strict conditions.

She is to repay Eskom just short of R2.6m, having been found guilty of defrauding Eskom with more than R1.5m for a single container costing R60 000.

Kubheka was ordered t repay Eskom R2 595 000 in total.

The sentencing relates to a 2020 case in which Eskom investigations uncovered a syndicate that was paid to deliver three containers to Tutuka Power Station.

Only one container was delivered, and it failed to meet Eskom’s specifications.

Kubheka were caught with her fingers of the Eskom cookie jar after investigations found she had defrauded the power utility with the issuing of grossly overpriced invoices.

She was also sentenced to four years for money laundering, also suspended for five years.

In April 2023 the Middelburg Observer reported on Eskom’s losses to suppliers.

The report came on the back of a Chamber of Commerce and Industry conference with former Eskom’s former COO Jan Oberholzer, who detailed just how deep the rot had settled in the embattled electricity generator and supplier.

During the conference Oberholzer, agreed with former Eskom CEO, Andre De Ruyter, that Eskom had been captured by dangerous cartels, using Eskom employees as cannon fodder, to loot billions from the power utility.

Oberholzer shocked attendees when he said that Eskom had paid R238 000 for a single mop and had forked out R26 per toilet roll and R60 for a single black bag, investigations found.

In relation to the August 22 sentencing, Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane, said “Our commitment to eliminating corruption remains unwavering and these developments send a clear message: fraud and corruption will not be tolerated.  The vast majority of Eskom employees act with integrity and dedication. We will pursue those who betray the organisation and the country with our law enforcement partners and seek prosecutions wherever possible”.

Eskom also Eskom consolidated its forensic, security, and investigative functions into the Group Investigations and Security (GIS) Division, which reports directly to the Group Chief Executive.