Eskom said breaches of its online vending system were contained. Eskom has rejected claims that its Online Vending System (OVS) is facing new or unresolved security breaches, saying the matter was fully disclosed more than a year ago and that decisive corrective action has significantly reduced vending fraud. In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 7, the power utility said there are “no new issues regarding the Online Vending System (OVS) breach” noting that the issue was “first fully disclosed in Eskom’s 2024 Annual Results published in December 2024.” The utility said recent media reports suggesting Eskom failed to respond to questions on the matter were incorrect.
“Therefore, any assertions by recent media reports that Eskom did not respond to a question regarding the OVS are inaccurate,” the statement said. “As part of Eskom’s turnaround strategy, we remain committed to being transparent with the South African public and working with the media to ensure that the facts are always well-presented” Eskom said, adding that collaboration with the media should help “ensure that we do not raise unnecessary alarms and resist the urge to recycle and present old news as new”. Following the initial discovery of the OVS breach, Eskom said it implemented “a comprehensive review and intervention strategy to mitigate vulnerabilities and restore system integrity” with decisive actions taken to “curb OVS fraud, secure systems, protect revenue, and safeguard customers.” According to Eskom’s September 2025 progress update, the response included tighter physical access controls in vending environments, enhanced cybersecurity monitoring to prevent unauthorised access, and stronger user-access controls supported by weekly dashboards flagging irregularities.
The utility confirmed that investigations into implicated employees have resulted in dismissals. “Expanded investigative measures, conducted in collaboration with law enforcement, have been concluded for some of the implicated employees (and are underway for all implicated employees), with the internal process resulting in their dismissal,” the statement said. Eskom added that “certain elements have been referred to the authorities, and the company will cooperate fully.”
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