Busted: City of Tshwane Officials Arrested for R7 Million Laudium Transformer Theft

As South Africa battles electricity instability, Tshwane’s power woes just got a lot more shocking.

In a twist that has left many residents fuming, three City of Tshwane employees were arrested on Tuesday morning for allegedly stealing a transformer worth an estimated R7 million from the Laudium substation.

The accused, all working in the city’s electricity department and aged between 30 and 40, were caught after an internal investigation and community tip-offs alerted authorities to missing equipment.

According to police spokesperson Major General Samuel Thine, the theft was no small operation. A massive transformer was recovered during the sting, linking the officials directly to the crime. The unit is believed to be one of the critical components stolen from the Laudium facility, which services thousands of households.

The Hunt Isn’t Over Yet

While three arrests were made on Tuesday, General Thine confirmed this is part of a larger operation. A fourth suspect was nabbed on June 27, and law enforcement is now closing in on a fifth.

“We can’t name the remaining suspect yet,” said Thine, “but the team is on the ground, and we expect to arrest him soon.”

Crippling Consequences for Tshwane

For residents of Laudium and surrounding areas, power supply has been inconsistent and now there’s a disturbing reason why. The theft of such a large and expensive transformer is more than just a criminal act, it undermines the city’s already strained electricity infrastructure.

General Thine issued a stern warning to those involved in infrastructure crime:

“The impact of stealing essential infrastructure is crippling the economy and hurting ordinary households in Tshwane.”

He emphasized that officials who think they can plunder public infrastructure for personal gain are now under serious scrutiny.

Public Outrage and Social Media Reaction

Online, the reaction has been swift and scathing. Residents have expressed disbelief that city employees, trusted with maintaining critical infrastructure, are allegedly behind the very crimes worsening load reduction and outages.

On X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote:

“So it’s not just cable theft. Our own city workers are looting the infrastructure they’re meant to protect. We’re finished!”

Others called for tougher background checks and harsher sentences for municipal employees who abuse their positions of trust.

Not Just a Local Issue

The theft of public infrastructure has become a growing crisis in South Africa. From copper cables to electric substations, looting costs municipalities billions and leaves residents in the dark, literally.

But when the criminals are insiders, the betrayal runs even deeper.

What Happens Next?

The three suspects are expected to appear in court on Wednesday, following formal processing. More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

This case could set a precedent for how authorities deal with internal sabotage of service delivery and may finally bring accountability to a system many South Africans feel has grown too accustomed to impunity.

{Source: The Citizen}

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