A security supervisor at Eskom Tutuka Power Station was arrested for his alleged involvement in a copper cable theft syndicate.
Image: File Picture
The Hawks have dealt a significant blow to copper cable theft at Eskom with the arrest of a 40-year-old security supervisor at Tutuka Power Station. This marks the eighth arrest in a sophisticated syndicate that has infiltrated the facility's own management structure.
His arrest on Wednesday brings the total number of suspects in the case to eight, including Eskom Tutuka Power Station principal inspector Refilwe Motloung, her brother, and her brother-in-law, who were arrested in October 2024.
The case began on September 30, 2024, when a Provincial Traffic Officer on duty at the Kinross weighbridge stopped a Toyota Hilux double-cab bakkie loaded with copper cables.
"The traffic officer chased the vehicle. In the process, the driver lost control, and the vehicle overturned," said police spokesperson Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala.
The Hawks’ Secunda Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit was called to the scene, where they arrested three African males transporting the cables.
“They failed to give a satisfactory explanation, and their alibi led to the arrest of another 40-year-old male,” said Tshabalala.
A multidisciplinary team including Crime Intelligence, SAPS Visible Policing, Eskom Security, and Fidelity Security, launched a broader investigation. Their efforts led them to a farm, where an Eskom truck had dropped off a consignment of copper cables.
“During the investigation, it was discovered that the copper cables were stripped and burnt. Upon searching, more copper cables were recovered,” Tshabalala said.
The operation then shifted to Tutuka Eskom Power Station, where additional cables were found. The bakkie and other exhibits were seized. As the investigation deepened, police identified Refilwe Motloung, the principal inspector at Eskom Tutuka, as a key suspect.
“Further investigation revealed that the principal inspector at Tutuka Power Station, Refilwe Motloung, was also involved. Refilwe was later arrested. Her arrest led to the arrest of her brother and brother-in-law,” Tshabalala said.
The latest suspect, the 40-year-old security supervisor, was taken into custody on March 5 and is expected to appear at the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on March 6.
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