ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – A report released during a politically charged and contentious Congressional hearing featuring testimony from Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison is shedding new light on why the state resumed funding to Feeding our Future despite fraud concerns in 2021.
Congressional fraud report
What we know:
The House Committee on Oversight released its report looking into fraud in Minnesota as Gov. Walz and Attorney General Ellison faced questioning on Wednesday.
The report includes multiple findings including new insight into claims the governor made after indictments came down in the Feeding our Future case.
The backstory:
In the report, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Assistant Commissioner Daron Korte says they first received complaints about Feeding our Future as early as 2018. However, those complaints came from another suspicious…
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