The Special Tribunal has granted an order allowing the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to freeze the pension fund of former Eskom middle manager for Program Complex Projects, Duduzile Moyo following allegations of contract fraud.

This after an investigation by the corruption busting unit found that Moyo allegedly indirectly received kickbacks amounting to some R24 million from an Eskom supplier.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the order interdicts the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund from paying out the pension following Moyo’s resignation from the power utility this month.

“The SIU investigation into Moyo’s conduct found that Ms Moyo in her role as Eskom’s Supply Manager/Contracts Manager/Employer’s Representative contracted a business named Tamukelo…to transport raw and potable water from Kendal Power Station to Kusile Power Station. Moyo signed 23 interim payment certificates in respect of Tamukelo’s services for the period December 2011 to July 2014, totalling approximately R138 million.

“Furthermore, the SIU probe revealed that Tamukelo and its representatives paid entities linked or associated with Moyo, whilst she negotiated and managed Eskom’s contract with Tamukelo. The modus operandi employed by Moyo was to create structures of entities owned by members of her family and friends to receive these funds,” he said.

Kganyago added that there was “a clear conflict of interest” which Moyo did not declare to Eskom.

“[She] received these funds in circumstances where part of her duties and functions as middle management. Moyo was also part of a team that presented the negotiation strategy of the Tamukelo tender worth R300 million to the tender and procurement committee.

“Moyo also deceived Eskom and repeatedly made fraudulency misrepresentation, declaring that there was no conflict of interest when dealing with Tamukelo and other role players for five years when signing Eskom’s annual declaration of Conflict Interest Policy,” he said.

The SIU is expected to institute civil proceedings against Moyo following the granting of the order.

Source: South African Government News Agency