Two Eskom employees have been suspended for their involvement in the disappearance of 1 400 electricity meter boxes that went missing from Eskom’s Customer Network Centre, in Mankweng, Limpopo.
The meter boxes are believed to have been used to illegally connect houses in nearby Mamadimo Park.
Criminal charges have been laid against an additional three people for the same offence.
Eskom anti-electricity-theft campaign Operation Khanyisa head Dileep John says the power utility is renewing its fight against electricity theft.
“Eskom views criminal activity and electricity theft in a serious light, especially among its own employees. We work with various partners, such as Crime Line, as well as law enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Service and the Hawks, to ensure that criminals, including our own employees, are brought to book,” he notes.
Since Operation Khanyisa was launched in 2010, it has helped reduce Eskom’s losses from 7.12% to 6.43%, which translates to a R1.4-billion saving in electricity that Eskom would have generated at a loss.
The campaign has also helped recover R618-million in revenue for Eskom.