Seven Emfuleni municipal employees arrested after alleged electricity reconnection scheme

Two further arrests in Vanderbijlpark on Sunday have raised the number of Emfuleni Local Municipality employees detained over an alleged illegal electricity reconnection scheme to seven, the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) said.

What happened

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the two suspects were arrested on Sunday morning during an operation in Vanderbijlpark.

“Both suspects are employees attached to the municipality’s Revenue and Electricity Department.”

Allegations against the suspects

The arrests relate to allegations of fraud, theft and tampering with essential infrastructure at the Emfuleni Local Municipality. According to the PKTT, preliminary investigations indicate the suspects misrepresented themselves to municipal clients as authorised officials who could reconnect electricity supplies that had been disconnected by the municipality.

“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 told to pay varying amounts directly into the suspects’ bank accounts in exchange for reconnection, and the suspects are accused of unlawfully reconnecting electricity without municipal authorisation. The PKTT says this resulted in illegal electricity use and financial losses to the municipality.

“The suspects are further alleged to have unlawfully reconnected electricity supplies without the authorisation of the municipality, resulting in the illegal use of electricity and financial losses to the municipality.”

Legal process and ongoing probe

All seven suspects are expected to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Mathe said the Gauteng PKTT will continue to work with stakeholders to hold those who abuse their positions for personal financial gain to account and that the investigation is ongoing.

“The Gauteng PKTT would continue working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that those who abuse their positions for personal financial gain are held accountable. The investigation remains ongoing, and further arrests are anticipated,” Mathe said.

Background

Earlier coverage reported that five Emfuleni Local Municipality employees had been arrested following a takedown operation in Vanderbijlpark on Friday. The two arrests on Sunday bring the total number detained in the matter to seven.