Eskom crime crackdown

Eskom is cracking down on crime by arresting employees, criminally prosecuting wrongdoers, and removing illegally connected transformers.

Crime and corruption have been a problem at Eskom for years and have cost the power utility billions monthly.

Former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter said criminal cartels operate at Eskom with impunity, stealing billions of rands a month.

He added that not much was done about it. “It appears that it is, if not explicitly condoned, then at least tolerated,” he said.

However, over the last year, Eskom has launched numerous initiatives to crack down on crime and corruption at the power utility.

The company is using new technologies and systems to minimise opportunities for criminal activity.

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane admitted that the power utility is “playing catch-up” in some aspects of the fight against corruption.

However, he said Eskom is identifying opportunities for malfeasance and closing these gaps.

“A lot of work has been done internally over the last year in particular to understand the modus operandi,” said Marokane.

The results of these initiatives are starting to show, with numerous arrests and prosecutions of criminals stealing from the power utility.

On Wednesday, 21 August 2024, Eskom announced the arrest of four employees and a contractor security guard.

They were arrested in connection with the theft of heavy fuel oil valued at R500 000 from Camden Power Station. The accused have been charged and are detained.

The arrests took place on Friday, 10 August 2024, at midnight, when two Eskom operators were apprehended for their role in colluding to steal heavy fuel oil and defraud the company.

Following further investigations on 16 August 2024, authorities arrested two more Eskom employees.

The additional arrests included a weighbridge operator, a control room operator, and a contractor security guard.

Earlier this month, Eskom announced that Witness Sibanda had been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for damaging and stealing essential infrastructure.

Essential and critical infrastructure crimes can potentially impact Eskom’s operations significantly.

“Losses incurred because of this criminal activity amounted to approximately R100,000,” Eskom said.

Sibanda was arrested in February 2023 at Camden Power Station for cutting and removing copper cables.

The cabling at the cable racks is deemed to be critical infrastructure in terms of plant management.

On 26 July 2024, Eskom announced that three Eskom contractor employees were arrested for the theft of diesel.

The Eskom excavator operator and the two mechanics had drained diesel from an excavator.

The suspects tried to offer the supervisor a bribe of R5,000 if he did not report the crime, which he refused.

The Eskom crime crackdown extends to all parts of the business, including its transmission and distribution networks.

This week, Eskom, in collaboration with various law enforcement agencies, removed over 35 illegally connected transformers in Diepsloot, Gauteng.

This joint operation is part of Eskom’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its network and alleviate the strain caused by unauthorised and illegal electricity connections.

In the 2022/23 financial year, Eskom experienced non-technical losses of around R5 billion due to illegal connections, meter bypasses, and other criminal activities within its supply area.

These illegal practices compromise Eskom’s financial health and its ability to deliver a dependable electricity supply to legitimate customers.

“Illegally connected transformers destabilise the network, causing frequent supply interruptions, extended outages and substandard services,” it said.

Illegal connections also pose significant safety risks to Eskom technicians working on the system.

Eskom said it has zero tolerance towards crime and corruption and is investigating allegations that some Eskom employees are involved in selling illegal transformers.

“Our security teams are making significant progress in curbing criminal activities through swift action and remain committed to protecting Eskom’s assets,” it said.