An 80-year-old farmer has recently been arrested for allegedly tampering with essential infrastructure and stealing electricity on his farm in Fochville, Gauteng. The farmer was found to have been illegally connecting, distributing, and selling electricity to communities that had settled on his property.
The arrest was made by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) energy safety and security workstream. According to Police Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, the Natjoints team, along with the South African Police Service (SAPS), Eskom, and Johannesburg City Power, confiscated three transformers, 119 electricity meter boxes, and electrical cables used to connect each household on the farm.
The elderly suspect appeared in court on charges of tampering with essential infrastructure worth R90,000, theft of electricity worth R6 million, and theft of meter boxes worth R476,000. The case has been postponed to December 11, 2024, for a formal bail application.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a 57-year-old former employee at Eskom’s Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga was found guilty of diesel theft. Zisebenzele Anton Gumede was handed a suspended sentence for his involvement in the theft. He was arrested at the power station in July 2022.
The Natjoints team continues to make progress in combating criminal activities that hinder Eskom’s operations. The structure, which includes various government departments such as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), monitors power stations and essential infrastructure across the country to prevent incidents of theft and tampering.
These recent arrests highlight the ongoing efforts to ensure the security and integrity of electricity distribution in South Africa. It serves as a reminder that tampering with essential infrastructure and stealing electricity will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.
