Eskom has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of Mr. Selby Magagula, a sub-contractor employed at Camden Power Station under Eskom Rotek Industries (ERI). Magagula was found guilty on two counts of bribery and corruption by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on August 28, 2024. He has been sentenced to four years of direct imprisonment for each count, with the sentences running concurrently.
The conviction is the result of a detailed investigation by Eskom’s Security Investigations team, which began after allegations surfaced on October 3, 2023. The case centered around an incident on September 26, 2023, at the Camden Power Station’s coal stockyard, where Mr. Magagula accused a coal truck driver of delivering coal contaminated with rocks.
During the incident, Magagula entered the truck cab and produced three rocks, claiming they were mixed with the coal meant for delivery. He warned the driver that this would lead to all trucks, including three already in the queue, being grounded. He then demanded that the driver contact his employer.
When the driver’s supervisor from the coal transporting company reached out to Magagula, he solicited a bribe of R6,000—R2,000 for each truck—to allow the coal to be offloaded. Although the supervisor did not agree to the bribe, the trucks were eventually allowed to offload their cargo. The entire conversation was captured by the truck’s fleet vehicle camera system.
An internal investigation by Eskom confirmed that Magagula had indeed solicited the bribe, and further established that the delivered coal met Eskom’s specifications, contradicting Magagula’s claims. He was arrested on October 11, 2023, at the Camden Power Station.
Eskom’s Acting General Manager for Security, Botse Sikhwitshi, praised the conviction, stating, “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 organization.”
Sikhwitshi also commended the coal company’s team for their vigilance, as well as the efforts of Eskom’s internal security team and law enforcement agencies. These efforts, coordinated by the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) Safety and Security Priority Committee, are instrumental in supporting Eskom’s battle against criminal activities.
Eskom continues to urge the public to report any unlawful activities, including illegal electricity sales, fraud, theft of coal, fuel oil, diesel, and critical infrastructure crimes. Reports can be made anonymously via the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or through WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.
