Eskom warned that the widespread crime continues to place immense strain on the national grid and the utility’s financial stability. The power utility confirmed that three farmers and an Eskom employee are expected to appear in the Randfontein Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for a bail application.
The four are accused of tampering with electricity meters on farms in the Randfontein area and unlawfully siphoning power from the national grid.
Eskom Gauteng Spokesperson Amanda Qithi said the employee implicated in the case is facing internal disciplinary action in addition to the criminal charges.
“This employee has been subjected to our disciplinary processes, and when there is alleged criminal conduct, we institute a parallel internal investigation while allowing the criminal justice system to take its course,” Qithi said.
She added that electricity theft and illegal connections remain a major challenge across Gauteng and the rest of the country. “Eskom loses approximately $1.44 billion annually in revenue due to electricity theft, and Gauteng alone contributes about $440 million.”
The utility says meter tampering, bypassing of meters and illegal connections undermine supply stability, overload transformers, and contribute to localised outages. These activities also directly impact Eskom’s ability to recover costs needed for maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
