Pretoria - Eskom has distanced its self from a social media post claiming that it paid R4 billion to a businessman by mistake.
The post was written on Facebook in the wake of Walter Sisulu University’s accounting student Sibongile Mani being convicted for theft at the East London Regional Court on Monday.
The post claims that mining magnate, Quinton van der Burgh was "mistakenly" paid R4bn and that Eskom’s CEO Andre De Ruyte purportedly released a statement saying they would not take any action to recover the alleged money.
The power utility said on Tuesday that its CEO had never made any comments concerning the allegations.
“Eskom would like to distance itself from the allegations contained in the tweet. As previously addressed, there was never any R4 billion paid “by mistake” to anyone. The CEO has never made the comment as alleged in this tweet“.
Eskom would like to distance itself from the allegations contained in the tweet. As previously addressed, there was never any R4 billion paid “by mistake” to anyone. The CEO has never made the comment as alleged in this tweet.@niehaus_carl @SikonathiM pic.twitter.com/VRwVZaxD6K
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) February 8, 2022
The Facebook post comes after Mani, the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) student who spent more than R800 000, after R14 million was erroneously paid into her account by NSFAS, was found guilty of theft on Monday.
Eskom would like to distance itself from the allegations contained in the tweet. As previously addressed, there was never any R4 billion paid “by mistake” to anyone. The CEO has never made the comment as alleged in this tweet.@niehaus_carl @SikonathiM pic.twitter.com/VRwVZaxD6K
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) February 8, 2022
Mani, 31, was convicted of theft when the court found that she unlawfully spent more than R800 000 out of R14 million which had been erroneously paid into her student account.
She spent over R800 000 on alcohol, cigarettes, blankets, clothes for men, jackets, handbags, furniture, beauty products and groceries at a supermarket in a period of two months.
She also reportedly spent the money at 48 retail stores in different towns.
Mani is expected to be sentenced in March and will return to court on March 8 for pre-sentence appearance. She remains out on bail.
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