CHARLESTON , S.C. (WCIV) — Charleston County School District Trustee Kevin Hollinshead has been indicted on federal charges of bribery and fraud related to COVID relief loans.
A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Hollinshead, the 64-year-old trustee representing District 4, for accepting a bribe in exchange for his influence on the board and for wire and bank fraud related to providing false information in loan applications for pandemic relief programs. The school district said it is aware of the indictment and that Hollinshead has handed in his resignation.
According to the indictment, Hollinshead, who was elected to a four-year term in 2024, accepted a bribe of $1,040 to go towards his purchase of a trailer for his catering business from an unidentified source in exchange for him influencing the procurement process on behalf of a construction company that…
THE TUTUKA POWER STATION PROCUREMENT FRAUD (ESKOM)
Date: August 29, 2025 Perpetrator: Jessie Phindile Kubheka (Supplier Director)
Case Description: As part of the ongoing “cleaning up” of Eskom, Jessie Phindile Kubheka was sentenced to 12 years (with 5 years suspended) for defrauding the Tutuka Power Station. The case involved a sophisticated procurement syndicate that exploited Eskom’s emergency repair protocols. Kubheka’s company was contracted to deliver three high-specification containers for the power station. Only one container was ever delivered, and even that single unit failed to meet the required safety and technical specifications.
Despite the lack of delivery, Kubheka issued grossly inflated invoices, defrauding the utility of approximately R2.6 million. The Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court ordered Kubheka to repay the full amount. This case is significant because it marks a shift in Eskom’s strategy toward “naming and shaming” suppliers and pursuing full asset recovery. It serves as a stark warning to contractors that the 2026 climate of “Zero Tolerance” for state-owned enterprise (SOE) fraud is backed by active judicial enforcement.
Link to Original: Eskom Official – Tutuka Fraud Sentencing