80-year-old farmer arrested for electricity theft worth millions

An 80-year-old farmer has been arrested after he was found to have been illegally connecting, distributing and selling electricity to communities that have settled on his farm in Fochville, Gauteng.

This week, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) energy safety and security workstream handcuffed the elderly farmer.

Arrested farmer faces multiple charges

Police Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said Natjoints continues to register “commendable progress” in ensuring that criminality hampering Eskom’s mandate is decisively dealt with.

“The Natjoints team led by Saps [South African Police Service], Eskom and Johannesburg City Power arrived on his farm where three transformers, 119 electricity meter boxes and electrical cables used to connect each household were confiscated.

“The elderly suspect appeared in court on Wednesday, 4 December 2024, on a charge of tampering with essential infrastructure worth R90 000, theft of electricity worth R6 million and theft of meter boxes worth R476 000,” Mathe said.

ALSO READ: Former Eskom employee found guilty and sentenced for diesel theft at Kusile

Mathe said the matter has been postponed to 11 December 2024 for a formal bail application.

“On a weekly basis, this structure strives to ensure that there are deployments in place to prevent, combat and investigate incidents that would hamper the delivery of electricity through generation, transmission and distribution.

“The structure sits on a daily basis and monitors all power stations and essential infrastructure throughout the country. It is inclusive of various other government departments including the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the South African State Security Agency (SSA), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), South African Revenue Services (Sars) and Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU),” Mathe said.

An 80-year-old farmer has been arrested after he was found to have been illegally connecting, distributing and selling electricity to communities that have settled on his farm in Fochville. Pics: SAPS #ElectricityTheft #Fochville #Eskom @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/byCR325vOZ

— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) December 5, 2024

Eskom employee guilty

Meanwhile, a  57-year-old former employee at Eskom’s Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga has been found guilty and handed a suspended sentence for diesel theft.

Zisebenzele Anton Gumede appeared in the Ogies District Court this week, where the judgment and sentence were handed down.

Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Dineo Sekgotodi, said Gumede was arrested in July 2022 at the power station where he was employed.

ALSO READ: R30m tax fraud trial against ex-Eskom official postponed