Eskom employee, truck driver arrested for theft of heavy fuel oil worth R1 million

An Eskom employee and a female truck driver appeared before the Kriel Magistrate’s Court on a theft and fraud charge yesterday, Thursday, 20 July.

WHO IS THE PAIR ACCUSED OF DEFRAUDING THE POWER UTILITY

It’s alleged the pair worked together to defraud Eskom.

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Thirty-six-year-old Sphiwe Sindane, an Eskom employee and 41- year-old Loveless Mabaso, a truck driver attached to a company subcontracted to supply heavy fuel oil to Eskom were arrested on Wednesday, 19 July 2023, for failing to deliver heavy fuel oil that was meant to be delivered to the Matla Power Station in Mpumalanga, said Brigadier Athlenda Mather, the SAPS spokesperson.

“It’s alleged that the pair sold and delivered the fuel oil to someone known to them and later submitted a fraudulent invoice to Eskom claiming to have delivered the fuel,” she detailed.

“Eskom suffered a loss of one million rand.”

Mathe

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THE USE OF THE HEAVY FUEL OIL

According to Eskom, heavy fuel oil is instrumental in electricity production.

Mathe added that an investigation by the Priority Committee on security energy led to the pair’s arrest.

“Since its establishment by the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, on 1 April 2022 to date, the priority committee is currently investigating 1586 Eskom-related cases. One hundred twenty-six arrests have been made thus far. R1 billion of items have been recovered thus far which include 42 firearms, 83 x loads of coal by 33-ton trucks and mining machinery,” Mathe shared the success.

ESKOM EMPLOYEE AND TRUCK DRIVER SCANDALS, NOTHING NEW

This isn’t the first arrest involving an Eskom employee colluding with a truck driver to steal fuel oil.

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In April, two Eskom employees and a fuel oil truck driver were apprehended for theft and fraud.

The South African Police Services (SAPS) Illicit Mining and Economic Infrastructure Task Team had been observing various fuel trucks near the Eskom Kendal Power Station when they noticed a fuel tanker approaching the power station. The truck was stopped and inspected close to a Petrol Station in Ogies. On inspection, it was established that the tanker contained a full load of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). During questioning, the driver presented a weighbridge slip confirming fuel delivery. The driver was instructed to return to the Kendal Power Station, where arrangements were made to have the tanker re-weighed. It was then established that only 1 680kg of fuel was offloaded instead of the full consignment.

ALSO READ: Eskom employees, fuel oil truck driver arrested for fraud and theft