Friday, 23
October 2020: In a joint operation with Eskom, the Hawks’ Serious
Organised Crime Investigation Unit arrested four suspects in Mpumalanga and the
Eastern Cape for dealing in electricity, theft of electricity and money
laundering. Three suspects were arrested in Tweefontein and Siyabuswa in
Mpumalanga while another suspect was arrested in King Williams Town in the
Eastern Cape yesterday. All the suspects appeared in court today.
The suspects
were found in possession of electricity customer slips, credit vouchers and
meter numbers. The suspects used offline Credit Dispensing Units, and
fraudulently and unlawfully issued Eskom electricity vouchers, at a very low
price, to members of the public. These crimes are on the increase.
With the support
of the Hawks and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), Eskom has intensified its
campaign to curb illegal electricity vending and is tracing, and will ensure
the arrest and prosecution of all individuals who are involved in this illegal
vending. Those who benefit from this theft of electricity and money laundering
shall have their assets attached by the AFU, said Advocate Karen Pillay, Eskom’s
Acting General Manager for Security.
Buying
electricity from non-registered vendors is a crime, and Eskom has been working
on projects to ensure that all these illegal vendors and their customers are
prosecuted and the scams dismantled. “Consumers who buy electricity from
illegal vendors, thereby robbing Eskom and the people of South Africa of much
needed revenue, will also be prosecuted when caught, and will have their
illegal credits cleared and electricity supply terminated,” said Advocate Pillay.
During the
arrests, customer lists were found. The mobile phone used to transmit the
credit recharge vouchers to the customers was confiscated and shall be analysed for
evidence. “With the assistance of the Hawks, we shall ensure that all
individuals involved in illegal sale of electricity are apprehended. We thank
all South Africans who continue blowing the whistle on illegal electricity
sales,” added Advocate Pillay.
Eskom urges the
public to report information regarding illegal vending activities and the
whereabouts of the illegal credit dispensing units on the Eskom Crime Line
number: 0800 11 27 22.