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How Eskom Cash Allegedly Built a Private Swimming Pool in Polokwane

Published

3 days ago

January 5, 2026

Chiraag

Eskom corruption case, luxury swimming pool Polokwane, SIU investigation South Africa, Eskom tender fraud, public funds misuse, Joburg ETC

When a Tender Turns Into a Lifestyle Upgrade

For years, South Africans have joked darkly about Eskom money vanishing into thin air. This week, investigators say some of it may have ended up somewhere far more concrete. A luxury swimming pool in Polokwane.

The Special Investigating Unit, better known as the Special Investigating Unit, has lifted the lid on what it describes as a carefully orchestrated bribery and corruption scheme linked to a R54 million Eskom tender. At the centre of it all is an Eskom employee accused of using his position to quietly turn public contracts into private gain.

Following the Money Trail

According to the SIU, about R8 million flowed from companies that benefited from the Eskom contract into the hands of the employee’s family and close associates. These payments were allegedly channelled through a small network of relatives and a family-linked company, creating a buffer between the tender and the personal benefits that followed.

Investigators say the money helped fund a luxury property in Bendor, one of Polokwane’s more upmarket suburbs. It also paid for extras that raised eyebrows, including the construction of a swimming pool and decorative balustrades.

One Man, Too Many Roles

At the heart of the case is Johannes Mfalapitsa, who worked on Eskom’s High Definition Surveying Services tender. The SIU alleges that he occupied several roles that should never overlap. He helped draft the scope of work, evaluated the bids, and later managed the awarded contract.

While this was happening, his spouse, Ndiyafhi Denge, was allegedly receiving payments from one of the bidding companies. These payments were never declared in annual conflict of interest disclosures, despite Eskom’s strict policies.

The SIU says this failure to disclose stretched back several years and created the perfect conditions for abuse.

Family Ties and Friendly Conduits

The investigation paints a picture of a tight-knit circle. Denge allegedly received more than R2.2 million. Mfalapitsa’s brother is said to have received hundreds of thousands of rand. Another individual whom Denge reportedly raised as her own child ran a company that investigators say acted as a conduit for illicit funds.

One service provider is alleged to have personally directed money towards contractors building the swimming pool at the Polokwane property. Payments were often round figures and did not include VAT, a detail that has raised further red flags.

Eskom Assets Frozen as Tribunal Steps In

The SIU has already secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal. This order freezes the Bendor property, valued at nearly R4 million, as well as a Nissan NP200 linked to the case.

The move prevents the sale or transfer of these assets while civil action is prepared to review the original tender and recover losses to the state.

Eskom itself has confirmed that Mfalapitsa is currently suspended and facing disciplinary action.

Public Anger and a Familiar Story

On social media, the reaction has been swift and angry. Many South Africans say the story feels painfully familiar. While households juggle load shedding and rising tariffs, headlines like this reinforce a sense that accountability always arrives too late.

What makes this case sting is its symbolism. A swimming pool built with money meant for critical infrastructure feels like a snapshot of everything that has gone wrong at state-owned entities.

What Happens Next

The SIU, which was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe the matter, says the preservation order is only the beginning. Civil proceedings are being prepared, and any criminal evidence uncovered can be referred to prosecutors.

For now, the pool remains filled, but the legal heat is rising. Whether the state will claw back the money is the next chapter South Africans will be watching closely.