Truck driver and supervisor arrested for coal swapping at Matla Power Station
The driver and his supervisor, both employed by Ukusebenza Transport, were both arrested, and a criminal case with various charges was opened with the South African Police Services in accordance with SAPS Vosman CAS 476/11/2022.
Yet another coal truck driver and his supervisor were arrested after allegedly swapping sub-grade coal from an illegal coal yard on 28 November.
In two separate incidents, truck drivers delivering coal to the Camden and Kendal power stations were also detained, and earlier this month, a contractor at the Camden Power Station was arrested after he was positively linked to a sabotage incident.
In the most recent case, the supervisor and driver were arrested on Monday at the Matla Power Station.
They work for a transport company that has been subcontracted to transport coal to Eskom.
The truck was stopped after being identified by the specialised team of detectives from Bidvest Protea Coin, who are employed by Eskom to look into cases of coal, diesel, fuel and oil theft.
The truck was entering and exiting an illegal coal yard when it was stopped.
ALSO READ: Eskom contractor arrested for sabotage at Camden Power Station
According to Eskom, the truck driver acknowledged, when questioned, that he had removed the “good-quality” coal he received from the Arthur Taylor Colliery.
Furthermore, he claimed that when he went to the Rondebult coal yard to exchange the coal, he was carrying out his supervisor’s orders.
The driver and his supervisor, both employed by Ukusebenza Transport, were both arrested, and a criminal case with various charges was opened with the South African Police Services in accordance with SAPS Vosman CAS 476/11/2022.
The solen coal-containing truck and trailer were also seized.
The suspects were remanded in custody until 13 December 2022 for a bail application.
“Yet again, these arrests are a significant step in rooting out criminals in Eskom. It also confirms the extent of criminality and prevalence of organised crimes affecting the organisation. Eskom has discovered through investigations that the control processes are deliberately bypassed by the criminal employees of the mines, transporters and Eskom alike. We shall pursue these unscrupulous individuals relentlessly and ensure that justice is served,” Advocate Karen Pillay, General Manager for Security at Eskom said.
The performance of the plants and the power stations are according to Eskom severely harmed when quality coal is replaced with discard coal.
Read the complete article in Highvelder.
