Watch: Former Eskom bosses’ homes and assets now seized

The Investigating Directorate was swift to swoop on the homes and businesses of former Eskom executives and suppliers after it was granted a court order to seize their assets up to the value of R1,4 billion on Tuesday morning.

The Johannesburg High Court awarded the NPA’s Investigating Directorate (ID) a restraint order valued at R1.4b, against former Eskom executives and former Tubular Construction Projects contractors.

Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said that the freezing order had been granted in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act and was served and enforced on all the accused in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo on Tuesday morning.

She said 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 and six companies owned by these individuals were served with the order. 

France Hlakudis home captured on video by the Investigating Directorate on Tuesday morning:

Investigating Directorate ensures the Eskom former bosses’ family assets are seized too

“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,” Seboka 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,” she said.

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

The criminal matter is scheduled to appear back in court on 01 June 2021.

Lomas, a resident of the United Kingdom, was arrested last month in the UK to stand trial. 

“The process of his extradition back to South Africa started last month and this matter will return to the London Westminster Magistrates Court on the 20 May 2021 for case management,” Seboka said.