Eskom Sub-Contractor Sentenced to Four Years for Bribery and Corruption

An internal Eskom investigation later confirmed that the coal delivered met the utility’s specifications and that Magagula’s claims were false.

Selby Magagula, a sub-contractor employee with Eskom Rotek Industries, has been sentenced to a minimum of four years in prison after being convicted on two counts of bribery and corruption. The sentence was handed down by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court in August.

Eskom’s Acting General Manager for Security, Botse Sikhwitshi, expressed approval of the conviction, emphasizing its importance in the ongoing fight against crime, fraud, and corruption within the organization. "The conviction of the suspect is a positive step in our continuous efforts to fight crime, fraud, and corruption, and to maintain the highest standards of integrity within the organisation," Sikhwitshi stated. He commended the vigilance of the coal company’s team, as well as the coordinated efforts of Eskom’s internal security team and law enforcement agencies, led by the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) Safety and Security Priority Committee.

The incident leading to Magagula's arrest occurred on September 26, 2023, at Camden Power Station's coal stockyard. While on duty, Magagula accused a coal truck driver of delivering coal mixed with rocks. He then produced three pieces of rock, claiming they were part of the delivery and warned that this would result in grounding all trucks, which had already caused a delay in the queue.

Magagula demanded a bribe of R6,000 from the truck driver’s supervisor to allow the coal to be offloaded. Despite the supervisor’s refusal, the trucks were eventually allowed to offload the coal. The entire conversation was recorded by the truck’s fleet vehicle camera system, providing crucial evidence.

An internal Eskom investigation later confirmed that the coal delivered met the utility’s specifications and that Magagula’s claims were false. He was arrested at Camden Power Station on October 11, 2023.

Eskom encourages the public to report any information related to illegal activities, including unlawful electricity sales, fraud, and theft of coal or other critical infrastructure, to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.