SOLE DIRECTOR AND COMPANY CONVICTED OF FRAUD WORTH OVER R2.3 MILLION

30 October 2025

SOLE DIRECTOR AND COMPANY CONVICTED OF FRAUD WORTH OVER R2.3 MILLION

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Mpumalanga welcomes the conviction of Themba Keddy Mpika (52) and his company, My Teddy Enterprise (Pty) Ltd, on nine counts of fraud involving more than R2.3 million. The verdict was delivered by the Mpumalanga Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Middelburg.

Between February 2017 and February 2020, Mpika was employed as a Senior Technician at Camden Power Station in Ermelo. During this time, he failed to declare his directorship and financial interest in My Teddy Enterprise (Pty) Ltd to his employer, Eskom. As part of his duties, Mpika was responsible for identifying faults, advising the procurement section on the advertisement of tenders, and ordering spare parts for repairs. While performing these functions, he fraudulently applied for and secured contracts to provide services and parts to the same power station through his company, without disclosing his conflict of interest.

An investigation led to his arrest and prosecution. During the trial, Mpika faced charges of corruption in terms of Section 17 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004, as well as fraud. He pleaded not guilty, claiming he did not gain an unfair advantage despite his prior employment at Eskom and knowledge of its procurement processes and specifications.

The State presented evidence on Eskom’s Conflict of Interest Policy and procurement procedures. While the court acquitted Mpika on the corruption charge, it found him guilty on nine counts of fraud. The matter has been postponed to 2 February 2026 for the preparation of a pre-sentencing report at the request of the accused. The NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to prosecuting cases of fraud, corruption, and theft, and to promoting integrity and respect for the rule of law. ENDS

Issued by:

Monica Nyuswa

NPA Regional Spokesperson

Director of Public Prosecutions, Mpumalanga

Tel: 013 045 0625 / 076 485 5446

Email: mnyuswa@npa.gov.za