Former Eskom Employee Faces Sentencing for Fraudulent Contracts
WITBANK – Thandi Ruth Magagula, a 41-year-old ex-safety risk officer at Eskom, is gearing up to face the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Mpumalanga this Thursday for her sentencing, following her conviction on multiple counts of corruption and fraud.
Earlier this month, Magagula had admitted guilt to seven counts of corruption and two counts of fraud, leading to her conviction. According to Monica Nyuswa, the Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Magagula was found guilty under Section 17 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
The charges arose from contracts exceeding R58,000 that were awarded to Mantoza Engineering Projects CC, a company where Magagula served as a director while still employed by Eskom from April 2015. She neglected to inform Eskom’s management about her financial stake in the company and continued to engage in business dealings with the public entity, breaching laws that govern public officials and Eskom’s conflict of interest policies.
Nyuswa emphasized that Magagula’s conviction aligns with her own admissions, confirming her involvement in these corrupt activities. The court has now postponed the sentencing to October 24.
In the meantime, the NPA in Mpumalanga views this conviction as a pivotal victory in the ongoing battle against corruption, especially within vital public institutions like Eskom. “The NPA is steadfast in its mission to hold individuals accountable for corrupt practices, upholding the integrity of public service,” Nyuswa stated.