Suspected Coal Thief Arrested at Arnot Power Station

On Saturday, June 8, 2024, at approximately 22:10, the Eskom Group Security Investigation’s tactical team identified a truck loaded with coal, intended for delivery to an Eskom power station, entering a coal yard in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. After about an hour, the truck left the coal yard, and the team followed it as it headed to Arnot Power Station. Upon arrival at Arnot Power Station, the truck joined the queue to offload the coal. The Eskom Group Security Investigations team inspected the truck and confirmed that the coal to be offloaded was actually discarded coal mixed with stones, corroborating the suspected coal swapping observed earlier at the Middelburg coal yard.

The truck driver was questioned and confessed to selling the coal, which was initially loaded at a mine in eMakhazeni (formerly Belfast) and destined for Arnot Power Station, for R6,000. The driver was immediately arrested by members of the Middelburg Hawks Unit, who are now conducting further criminal investigations, supported by Eskom Group Security Investigations.

We commend the Group Security Investigations and the Middelburg Hawks team for tirelessly working together to bring coal thieves to justice. There is tangible evidence to ensure the successful prosecution of the suspect, – said Botse Sikhwitshi, Acting General Manager for Security at Eskom.

“The delivery of poor-quality coal often leads to unit breakdowns and cannot be tolerated. We hope the perpetrator, once convicted, faces the harshest possible sentence, serving as a deterrent to others,” added Sikhwitshi.

Eskom will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to shut down illegal coal yards.

The public is urged to report information regarding illegal electricity sales, fraud, the theft of coal, fuel oil, diesel, and all other electricity-related crimes to the Eskom Crime Line: 0800 11 27 22. Reporting can be done anonymously.