A Gauteng farmer has been arrested after he illegally connected electricity and sold it, defrauding Eskom of R6.6 Million.
Authorities uncovered a sprawling illegal electricity operation on his property in Leeupoort.
Gauteng Farmer Arrested For Illegally Connecting And Selling Electricity
The South African Police Service, Eskom, City Power, and private security forces raided the farm, finding evidence of an elaborate setup illegally supplying electricity to over 600 informal households in exchange for payment. The bust recovered stolen infrastructure, including two transformers and 150 electricity meters, all linked to Eskom and City Power.
“The suspect was charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and malicious damage to property, including illegal redistribution and resale of electricity,” Eskom confirmed.
The farm owner, accused of masterminding the operation, remains in custody at Fochville Police Station. He appeared in court on Wednesday, 4 December, and will return on 11 December for a bail hearing.
Gauteng Farmer Arrested For Scamming Eskom Of R6.6 Million After Illegally Connecting And Selling Electricity [Image: X]According to Eskom, intelligence investigations revealed that stolen electrical equipment was used to power nearby informal settlements for profit.
“Eskom has been investigating the case since 2018, with the property being disconnected multiple times. However, the farmer repeatedly reconnected the power supply,” the utility said.
Eskom Takes Action, Disconnects The Area
Eskom has now disconnected the affected area and issued a stark warning to electricity thieves. Under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act, tampering with electrical infrastructure can lead to penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
“Such activities disrupt essential services, pose serious safety risks, and undermine the sustainability of the electricity network,” the utility said.
Illegal connections and electricity theft remain a widespread issue for Eskom. The utility recently identified approximately 1.7 million customers with unpaid meters, though its prepaid meter update project has reduced this number from 2.1 million. However, the Leeupoort households connected through this scheme likely aren’t accounted for, as they were never on Eskom’s database.