State-owned energy utility Eskom says two truck drivers contracted by it have been arrested on the Kendal energy station, in Mpumalanga, on November 10, after they have been discovered to be in possession of stolen coal.
A prison case of coal theft has been registered with the Ogies police station.
Eskom explains that the vehicles belong to an ash transporting firm contracted to Eskom.
The suspects have been exiting the ability station’s coal gate once they have been stopped by safety personnel conducting automobile inspections. Each drivers resisted the searches and maintained that the vehicles have been empty, the utility reviews.
Eskom safety GM Advocate Karen Pillay says this occasion is a part of an even bigger downside, since coal theft is a extremely organised prison exercise, with syndicates which are enriched by means of the proceeds derived from buying and selling in stolen coal.
“Eskom continues to lose billions of rands owing to the misappropriation of coal and comparable commodities, which straight impacts manufacturing,” she provides.
Pillay explains there are a number of illicit coal stockyards and dump websites in Mpumalanga which are recipients of the stolen coal.
Eskom states that the Eskom Safety Crew, along with the South African Police Service, are working arduous to determine and disrupt the prison networks. The utility urges the general public to report data associated to coal, gasoline oil and diesel theft on the Eskom crime line – 0800 11 27 22.
