By Mapaballo Borotho
- South Africans are calling on the NPA to prosecute Siyabonga Nkosi and others implicated in alleged Eskom corruption, saying asset freezes are not enough.
- The SIU has frozen R76.5 million in assets linked to Nkosi, reportedly acquired through inflated contracts at Kusile and Matla power stations.
- Public outrage continues to grow as many demand arrests and accountability for those involved.
South Africans are urging the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prosecute Siyabonga Moses Goodwill Nkosi and those who benefited from his alleged corruption, saying freezing assets is not enough to deal with wrongdoing in public enterprises.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured an order to freeze R76.5 million worth of real estate and luxury vehicles linked to Nkosi, the husband of Instagram and TikTok influencer Leleti Nkosi.
The SIU says these assets were obtained using money reportedly stolen from Eskom.
“The order prevents the assets from being sold, transferred, or hidden while the SIU seeks to set aside irregular contracts and recover public funds,” the unit said in a statement on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.
Nkosi used the Nkosi Royal Trust, Sibongukukhanya Trust and Siyabonga Kankosi Trust – which he was trustee of – allegedly as conduits for laundering the stolen money and pouring it into prime properties in Gauteng, KwaZulu‑Natal and Mpumalanga.
The money was also alleged to have been used to purchase luxury vehicles, including Lamborghinis, Porsche Cayennes and a Porsche Panamera.
An SIU investigation into Eskom, as authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa, revealed how officials at the power utility’s Kusile and Matla power stations allegedly “turned procurement into a jackpot.”
Between 2021 and 2023, officials approved inflated and irregular purchase orders for relays, equipment meant to keep power stations running.
“Instead of delivering reliable service, Nkosi’s companies delivered invoices. Eskom officials signed off on contracts that priced relays at R50,000 each, when the market price was between R180 and R450. This manipulation resulted in a direct financial loss of R73,650,994.87 to Eskom,” the SIU explained.
The revelations have sparked outrage on social media, with many South Africans highlighting how corruption continues to impact everyday life.
Some have pointed to past load shedding and rising electricity costs, expressing frustration that public funds are still being looted.
While the SIU’s action has brought some hope, many believe the NPA is failing the country by not prosecuting those implicated.
Calls are growing for the arrest of Nkosi and all individuals who allegedly benefited from the corruption.