PRETORIA – A 28-year-old suspected was arrested in the early hours of the morning on Tueday, 22 November 2022 on charges of fraud and theft of Eskom’s coal.
The truck was sub-contracted to collect coal from Msimbithi Coal Mine in Wonderfontein near Belfast and deliver it to Camden Power Station operated by Eskom in Ermelo.
It is alleged that the truck driver deviated from that route with the original coal worth approximately R30 0000 and delivered it to an illegal coal yard on Bethal road in Vaalbank near Middleburg. A rubble coal mixed with stones was allegedly loaded on the truck for delivery to Camden Power Station.
The truck driver was intercepted by Bidvest Protea Coin Security on arrival at Power Station and the matter was reported to the police and the matter was referred to the Hawks for further investigation. The man was arrested and the truck as well as the rubble coal mixed with stones were seized for further investigation.
The preliminary investigation by the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State (CATS) team revealed that the criminal actions were not only meant to defraud Eskom, but to also cause irreversible damage to the machinery and derail the electricity production process.
He is expected to make his first court appearance in Belfast Magistrates Court on Thursday, 24 November 2022.