Kusile was meant to be finished in 2014 with a budget of R81bn, but so far only four of the six planned units have achieved commercial operation, with R152bn already spent.
In a joint operation with the Hawks and the SA Revenue Service on Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID) arrested two former Asea Brown Boveri employees and their wives in connection with Eskom contracts worth more than half a billion rand.
Investigating Directorate (ID) national spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said: “Mohammed and Raeesa Mooidheen, who were arrested in Middelburg and appeared at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court, were granted bail of R50,000 and R30,000 each”, while “Vernon and Aradhna Pillay, who were arrested in Durban and appeared at the Durban Specialised Crimes Court, were granted R20,000 each.”
The Mooidheens and Pillays are alleged to have defrauded Eskom through one of its contractors, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), a Swiss automation firm.
Business Maverick previously reported that ABB’s South African subsidiary was, in April 2015, awarded a contract for “control and instrumentation” (C&I) work at Eskom’s beleaguered Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga.
At R2.24-billion, it was R324-million more than the lowest bidder, but ABB won the contract based on a promised…