Court orders restraining order valued at R1.4bn against former Eskom execs, suppliers

Johannesburg – The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng North local division, Pretoria awarded the National Prosecution Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID) a restraint order valued at R1.4 billion against former Eskom executives and former Tubular Construction Projects contractors.

The freezing order, granted in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act, was served and enforced on all the accused in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo earlier on Tuesday.

Former Eskom senior manager for Capital Contracts, France Hlakudi, the company’s former group executive for Group Capital, Abram Masango, former Tubular Construction Projects CEO, Antonio Trindade, businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana, former Tubular Holdings Executive Advisor, Michael Lomas, six companies owned by these individuals were served with the order.

In addition, their spouses’ assets and their family trusts were included in the restraint order.

“The freezing order prohibits them from dealing in any manner with any of their realisable property,” Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka-Twala said.

Seboka-Twala said the curator, Trevor Hill, who was appointed by the court in terms of the order, did an inventory of all the affected assets which have been restrained pending the outcome of the criminal trial.

“Hlakudi, Trindade, Masango, Maphoko, and Lomas face charges of fraud, and corruption. Kgomoeswana faces an additional charge of money laundering,” she said..

Seboka-Twala said the criminal matter is scheduled to appear back in court on June 1.

Lomas, a resident of the UK, was arrested last month in the UK.

“The process of his extradition back to South Africa started last month and this matter will return to the London Westminster Magistrate’s Court on May 20 for case management,” Seboka-Twala said.

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Political Bureau