By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The trial of France Hlakudi, the former Eskom senior executive accused of tax fraud of up to R30 million, was on Monday postponed after the court heard that he had not provided written instructions to his attorney.
Hlakudi is facing 44 counts of fraud valued at a total of R30 million relating both to his own personal tax affairs as well as to the tax affairs of a number of his companies.
Investigating directorate spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka, says that Hlakudi is facing tax fraud charges to the value of R30m.
The charges relate to his personal tax affairs and that of his companies, Hlakudi Translation and Interpretation cc, Coxinel Chicken (Pty) Ltd, and Bon Services Telcom cc.
The monies were received between 2015 and 2018.
The matter was previously postponed in November 2022 for Hlakudi to obtain new legal representation.
Hlakudi is one of four accused in the Eskom Kusile R745m case of fraud, corruption, money laundering, offering illegal gratifications, and receiving unauthorised gratifications.
Abram Masango, an Eskom group executive for the group capital division; Hlakudi; businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana; and Tubular Construction CEO Antonio Trindade are accused of perpetrating these crimes between 2014 and 2017.
Seboka further said that, Masango and Hlakudi are accused of obtaining R30m in improper gratuity from the contractors, Trindade and Lomas.
“Kgomoeswana and his company, Babinatlou Business Services cc, are accused of facilitating the bribes on behalf of the Eskom Kusile contractors to the state-owned power generation utility’s senior bosses,” Seboka said.
Meanwhile the Special Tribunal has dismissed, with costs, an application by former Eskom manager Duduzile Moyo to have a preservation order reconsidered.
In a statement on Monday, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomed the tribunal’s decision.
The SIU successfully applied to have Moyo’s pension benefits frozen in September last year, pending the conclusion of its investigations.
According to the SIU, Moyo resigned from the power utility when the unit started probing contracts she was managing at two power stations.
An investigation by the SIU revealed that Moyo unlawfully benefitted R24 584 000 from a multimillion-rand contract to transport water from Kendal power station to Kusile power station.