The Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court has convicted 41-year-old Thandi Ruth Magagula, a former safety risk officer at Eskom, on charges of corruption and fraud.
Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Monica Nyuswa said Magagula pleaded guilty to seven counts of corruption and two counts of fraud.
She was subsequently convicted under Section 17 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
“The offences stem from contracts valued at over R58,000 awarded to a company named Mantoza Engineering Projects CC during the period between April 2015, while Eskom employed Magagula and simultaneously served as a director of Mantoza Engineering Projects,” said Nyuswa.
“Magagula failed to disclose her financial interest in the company to Eskom’s management and continued to conduct business with the public entity while holding a directorship position. This behaviour violated laws governing public officials and Eskom’s conflict of interest policies.”
Nyuswa said Magagula was convicted in line with her admissions of guilt, confirming her role in the corrupt activities.
The court has postponed the matter to October 24 for sentencing proceedings.
Meanwhile, the NPA in Mpumalanga said it views this conviction as a significant step in the fight against corruption, particularly within critical public entities like Eskom.
“The NPA remains committed to holding individuals accountable for corrupt practices, reinforcing public service integrity,” said Nyuswa.
In February, IOL reported that Magagula had appeared before the Middelburg Regional Court after her arrest and she was released on R10,000 bail.
IOL