MPUMALANGA – A 36-year-old Eskom Tutuka power station employee was arrested by the Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit assisted by the Serious Corruption Investigation on Thursday, 3 October 2024.
The arrest is because of information received from a witness who is a delivery truck owner and was hired to transport Eskom copper cables from Standerton Tutuka power station to Kriel power station but the truck was redirected to a farm.
The team went to Standerton Power Station to locate the principal inspector who was working the night shift. The team proceeded to her residential address. During the arrest, a search was executed. An Eskom control register’ REMOVAL PERMIT’’ was found in her possession and seized. An Opel Corsa vehicle used to escort the copper (truck) and a cellphone were also seized and taken to Standerton Police Station for safekeeping.
The accused is expected to appear before the Standerton Magistrates court on Friday, 4 October 2024, facing charges of theft of copper cables.
The case might be centralised with the Evander case of possession of Eskom copper cables, where four accused, Thabo Dlamini (30), Dumisani Njinga (53) both South Africans, Solomon Mlambo (24) and Silas Sithole (47) both Mozambicans were arrested and remanded in custody. They are expected back in Evander Magistrates Court on Monday, 7 October 2024. Investigation continues.