A former Eskom employee who used his private company to defraud the power utility of more than R2.3-million has been found guilty of multiple counts of fraud — but cleared of corruption.
The Mpumalanga Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Middelburg, convicted Themba Keddy Mpika (52) and his company, My Teddy Enterprise (Pty) Ltd, on nine counts of fraud on Tuesday.
The case was brought by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) following a detailed investigation into Eskom’s internal procurement dealings at Camden Power Station in Ermelo.
Between February 2017 and February 2020, Mpika worked as a senior technician at the power station. He was responsible for identifying technical faults, recommending tender advertisements, and advising on the purchase of spare parts. During this time, he failed to disclose that he was the sole director and financial beneficiary of My Teddy Enterprise. The company went on to win contracts at the same power station.
According to the NPA, Mpika used his insider position to fraudulently secure lucrative deals for his company. And this was in breach of Eskom’s Conflict of Interest Policy and procurement procedures.
Violation of integrity systems
“The accused’s conduct undermined Eskom’s integrity systems. And this resulted in the payment of more than R2.3-million to his company,” said NPA regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.
Mpika pleaded not guilty. He claimed he had not gained any unfair advantage despite his knowledge of Eskom’s tender processes. However, the court found that he had misrepresented his interests and concealed crucial information from his employer for personal gain.
While the state had also charged him with corruption under Section 17 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, the court ruled that the evidence did not prove a corrupt exchange of gratification. This led to an acquittal on that count.
The case has been postponed to February 2, 2026, for the preparation of a pre-sentencing report at the defence’s request.
Nyuswa said the conviction underscored the NPA’s commitment to tackling financial misconduct within state-owned entities.
“The NPA remains resolute in prosecuting fraud, corruption, and theft, and in promoting integrity and respect for the rule of law,” she said.
