Africa-Press – South-Africa. A coal truck driver and two weighbridge clerks were arrested on Thursday for alleged fraud and theft of coal, Eskom said in a statement.
They were held at Blinkpan Police Station, charged, and brought before the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court. They were subsequently each granted R2 000 bail.
Coal theft has been an ongoing headache for Eskom, with nine arrests having taken place earlier this month at Kusile. The power utility has previously said it suspects “highly organised” syndicates to be at work.
Authorities were acting on a tip-off received late in August about a truck that had been loaded with 34 900kg of coal at New Clydesdale Colliery, and which was destined for delivery at Majuba power station.
It diverted from its route, however, to an illegal coal yard next to the R35 Middelburg Bethal Road, where the driver allegedly offloaded the coal.
A team consisting of members of the Middelburg Organised Crime Unit and Eskom Security investigated, Eskom said.
“The truck which was located close to the coal yard was suspected of having received the stolen coal,” Eskom said.
The driver told the investigation team that he had delivered the coal to Majuba, and produced a weighbridge ticket purported to confirm the delivery. However, investigators established that the truck had never entered Majuba and that the weighbridge ticket was fraudulent, Eskom said.
The accused are set to appear in court on 6 October and more arrests are expected as investigations continue, Eskom said.
“Arrests like these demonstrates Eskom’s resolve to work together with the law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book,” said Botse Sikhwitshi, acting general manager for security at Eskom.
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