Former Eskom executive in court for R30m tax fraud

Former Eskom Executive, Frans Hlakudi has briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s  Court on 44 charges of tax fraud to the tune of R30 million.

The case is in relation to his personal tax affairs as well as company tax of companies he was involved in from 2015 to 2018.

The case was postponed until 13 November when a trial date will be set.

Hlakudi is charged with contravening the Tax Administration Act in his personal and as director of the companies for allegedly not declaring his income.

Spokesperson for the Investigating Directorate, Sindisiwe Twala says they uncovered the tax fraud while investigating Hlakudi for R745 million corruption at the Kusile Power station.

“We found that in the Eskom R745 million case that there were funds that were paid from various sub-contractors, and or contractors to Eskom’s Kusile in Mpumalanga, that flowed form those sub-contractors into the various companies that Frand Hlakudi owns.”

Earlier this month, the power utility and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) instituted legal proceedings to recoup R3.8 billion from Eskom’s former executives, the Gupta brothers and associates lost due to corruption.

Among the 12 defendants in the case is also former Eskom Chief Executive Officer Brian Molefe.

The Department of Public Enterprises has welcomed Eskom’s efforts to recoup the funds.

In the video below, the SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago discusses the legal proceedings

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“And at the time, these funds were going into his accounts we realised that he was an executive at Kusile Power station,” explains Twala.