Eskom employee arrested for allegedly stealing hydraulic oil worth more than R800k

An employee from Eskom’s Tutuka Power Station has been arrested for allegedly removing 10 drums of hydraulic oil from the on-site storage facility.

The employee’s arrest on Monday follows Eskom’s internal investigation, assisted by the Hawks.

According to Eskom on Wednesday, the stolen drums of hydraulic oil are valued at more than R800,000.

The arrested employee appeared in the Standerton Magistrate’s Court and was remanded in custody for
a bail application.

“We shall ensure that bail is denied, and that the employee faces the full might of the law,” said Advocate Karen Pillay, General Manager for Eskom Group Security.

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In a separate incident at the Matla Power Station on Monday, three cleaning contractors working on the site were arrested for allegedly stealing copper cables which they placed in a waste storage container.

The suspects were under the surveillance of the investigators, who pounced on them when they attempted to remove the container from the area.

“We cannot have such individuals who choose to steal so brazenly, within the employ of Eskom. We shall work ardently to arrest such individuals including their accomplices and bring them to book,” said Advocate Pillay.

Eskom staff being paid ‘well enough’

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has previously warned Eskom employees who might be involved in “mischievous” and “nefarious” activities to rather focus on doing their job properly as they’re being paid well enough.

Briefing the portfolio committee on public enterprises, Gordhan said though he did not want to get into it, there was “some indication” that there might be “mischief” going on at Eskom which was contributing to the power crisis.

“There hasn’t been the kind of attention required in order to figure out what’s really going on. But there is a message that needs to go to the Eskom staff on one hand and also to those who still feel aggrieved because they had to leave the opportunities for all sorts of mischievous stuff at Eskom, and now want to retaliate in one form or another because egos wouldn’t allow them to accept that it’s time for them to move on and leave the job to somebody else to do,” said the minister at the time.

READ MORE: Gordhan warns Eskom staff involved in ‘nefarious’ activities