On Tuesday 28 May 2024, one of the two accused men in the Kriel South African Police Service (SAPS) CAS 96/02/2022 was convicted at the Kriel Magistrate Court for tampering with critical infrastructure and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The two accused committed the crime during February 2022 at Eskom’s Matla Power Station and were arrested on the evening of 24 February 2022 on suspicion of stealing copper bars and installed copper at a Matla substation with the assistance of a drone surveillance after initially trying to evade arrest by fleeing the scene.
Both men were granted bail but the convicted suspect remained in custody since the day of the arrest until sentencing. The other accused skipped bail and a warrant of arrest has been issued for him.
“We commend the internal security investigations and the SAPS Detectives team that work tirelessly together in bringing perpetrators to book. This is one of the many successes to come. We shall deal with all perpetrators without fear or favour and shall ensure all perpetrators face the full might of the law,” said Nomsa Spaumer, the Acting General Manager for Security at Eskom.
Eskom urges the public to report information regarding illegal electricity sales, fraud, the theft of coal, fuel oil and diesel, infrastructure theft and vandalism as well as all other electricity-related crimes to the Eskom Crime Line: 0800 11 27 22. Reporting can be done anonymously.
