VANDERBIJLPARK – Five Emfuleni Local Municipality employees have been arrested in connection with allegations of fraud, theft and tampering with essential infrastructure.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said the five were arrested by the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) during a takedown operation in Vanderbijlpark on Friday, 21 August.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the suspects are employed by the municipality’s Revenue and Electrical departments.

Preliminary investigations have established that the suspects allegedly operated a scheme in which they misrepresented themselves to municipal clients as duly authorised officials who could reconnect electricity supplies that had been disconnected by the municipality.

Clients were allegedly instructed to pay various amounts of money directly into the suspects’ bank accounts in exchange for the illegal reconnection of electricity.

Police further allege that the suspects unlawfully reconnected electricity supplies without authorisation from the municipality.

The alleged illegal reconnections resulted in the unlawful use of electricity and financial losses to the Emfuleni Local Municipality.

The arrests form part of an investigation into the allegations of fraud, theft and tampering with essential infrastructure.

The Gauteng PKTT says it will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that those who abuse their positions for personal financial gain are held accountable.

The five arrested suspects are expected to make their first appearance in court on Monday, 24 August 2026.

The investigation remains ongoing, and further arrests are anticipated.