ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — Early voting opened today for the New York state primaries, giving Albany County voters more time and more options to cast ballots as key races heat up across the Capital Region.
Albany County has almost 220,000 active voters, and just under 90,000 of them use early voting, absentee or mail-in ballots. With multiple ways to vote, Albany County Board of Elections Commissioner Alison McLean Lane said the system includes safeguards designed to prevent voter fraud and stop anyone from casting more than one ballot.
“It is our most equal right as Americans. One individual, one vote,” McLean Lane said.
Early voting for the New York state primaries is open until June 21. McLean Lane said the extended voting window helps people with busy schedules participate.
“There are 7 locations for early voting here in Albany County. You can go to any single one of those. You don’t have…
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