Eskom: Arrests made after trucks found with stolen coal

Drivers contracted to Eskom Holdings were arrested after their trucks contained stolen coal, marking a small step in efforts to fight against organised criminal activity at the utility.

Eskom security guards stopped two drivers who maintained the trucks exiting Kendal Power Station were empty before the fuel was discovered, the company said in a statement. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan in an interview earlier this year with Bloomberg said steps to tackle “mafia” groups targeting the utility would be intensified.

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“Coal theft is a highly organised criminal activity and syndicates involved are being enriched through the proceeds derived from the trade,” said Karen Pillay, general manager for security at Eskom. “There are several illicit coal stockyards and dump sites in the province that are recipients of the stolen coal.”

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