Trillian ordered to pay back the money

Jabu Mabuza, Eskom board chairman

Trillian will also have to pay interest calculated from the day of judgement to the date of payment, as well as the costs of the application, including the costs of three counsel.

The power utility paid Trillian for so-called advisory services between August 2016 and February 2017 in the absence of valid contracts and, in some cases, where no work was done.

“We urge all corporates who conducted business with Eskom illegally to come forward voluntarily so we can start the process of getting funds that were paid in the course of those assignments.

“Our resolve, together with management, to recover all ill-gotten gains from the period of what has become known as state capture at Eskom will persist until all moneys due to Eskom have been recovered,” said Jabu Mabuza, Eskom board chairman.

Eskom initiated legal action to recover unlawful payments made to Trillian in 2018, following a long-drawn process from 2017 when Eskom first served Trillian with a letter of demand that was later inexplicably withdrawn by previous management.

Mabuza said Eskom continues to work closely with and provide all the support to the law enforcement authorities.