Numerous questions have recently been raised about what is left of the 68km railway line between Ermelo and the Majuba Power Station.

Majuba Power Station is situated between Volksrust and Amersfoort and is Eskom’s second-largest power station.

In its investigation, Highvelder spoke to numerous people regarding the deterioration of the Majuba Railway who feared for their families’ safety as well as their own.

One of the sources stated that the railway is partly built on their ground.

“Every morning tracks are left of people passing through our land after they’ve stolen the copper cables from the railway,” the source said.

He said the people have no regard for their property and cut their camp wires to be able to move their trucks around.

According to another source who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, their fears became a reality when a family drove on the service road and came across a group of people stealing the copper cables on the railway.

He said the group had fired shots at the vehicle and the family had to flee the scene.

“These people are working in big groups of about 50 to 60 people at a time, stripping every bit of copper from the railway.”

According to him, they used to come out late at night with their 8t trucks, but after some time, they nonchalantly began entering the farms in broad daylight to steal the copper.

“They begin at one point using a bolt cutter connected to a wooden pole and tubes to cut the cables, then another group of people collect the cables and roll them up, and the truck comes past to collect it.

Read the complete article in the Highvelder newspaper.