State-owned Eskom has reported that one other coal supply truck driver has been arrested on the Camden energy station, in Mpumalanga, after he was present in possession of subgrade coal destined to be used by the ability utility.
The truck belongs to a transporter that’s contracted to ship coal to Eskom. Two different truck drivers had been arrested two weeks in the past on the identical energy station for being in possession of stolen coal.
Whereas the truck left the mine with the right specification of coal, the product was swapped out with inferior-quality coal at a identified unlawful coal yard within the space previous to the supply being made at Camden.
Throughout questioning, the truck driver admitted that he was allowed to exit the Wonderfontein coal mine – additionally in Mpumalanga – by safety, with out the tarpaulins on the truck being sealed with the prescribed seals and that the seals remained in his possession upon exiting the mine.
The driving force was positioned below arrest and a legal case with varied expenses was opened with the South African Police Companies (SAPS) at Ermelo. The truck and trailer had been additionally impounded, with extra arrests anticipated in reference to the incident.
The Bidvest Protea Coin Tactical Activity Staff, which is contracted to Eskom to research coal, diesel and gas oil theft circumstances, detected the truck because it left the unlawful coal yard in Middelburg. The group adopted the truck to the Camden energy station the place it was stopped on the gate.
The driving force alleged that an worker of the Wonderfontein mine instructed him to proceed to the unlawful coal yard in Middelburg and to dump the coal earlier than continuing to Camden. He was additional directed by the worker to ship the changed substandard coal product to Eskom.
The trailer was then sealed on the unlawful coal inventory yard utilizing the issued seals after the subgrade coal was loaded, whereafter the motive force proceeded to the ability station to ship the coal.
“The arrest of those unscrupulous people is a major step in our struggle towards crime in Eskom, and we will proceed in our pursuit to make sure that the perpetrators face the total would possibly of the legislation,” Eskom safety GM advocate Karen Pillay mentioned on November 23.
She mentioned the Eskom Safety Staff, the Bidvest Protea Coin Tactical Activity Staff, in addition to the SAPS, had been working to determine and disrupt the legal networks to root out legal components which might be contributing to Eskom’s woes.
Eskom reported that an investigator from Bidvest Protea Coin was supplied a R50 000 bribe for the discharge of the motive force, which was declined. It isn’t clear who supplied the bribe nor whether or not the perpetrator was charged for doing so.
Stockpiles of coal destined for Eskom from the contracted mines are pretested and licensed by each the provider and by Eskom. It’s required that the coal supply vans are inspected on the supply and that the trailers are sealed on web site for safety functions. These seals are to stay intact till the truck reaches the required Eskom energy station, the place it’s once more inspected for tampering earlier than the coal is offloaded.
Eskom has found that these processes are intentionally bypassed by some legal components working on the mines, in addition to inside the transportation corporations and inside Eskom as effectively.
The substitute of high quality coal with discard coal has a critical unfavorable impression on the ability stations and on their capability to provide electrical energy.
Coal theft is extremely organised legal exercise, with syndicates being enriched by 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.
There are a number of identified illicit coal stockyards and dump websites in Mpumalanga, that are recipients of stolen coal. It isn’t clear why these websites are allowed to proceed working.
Eskom mentioned it will the required assist to the SAPS and the Nationwide Prosecuting Authority to make sure that all suspects are efficiently prosecuted and that stiff sanctions are meted out to discourage different offenders.
Eskom has urged the general public to report any info concerning coal, petrol, oil and diesel theft to the Eskom Crime Line on 0800 11 27 22.
