11 hours ago
Three City of Tshwane officials arrested over theft of R7m transformer
Three Tshwane municipality officials have been arrested by the Gauteng organised crime unit in connection with the theft of transformers from the Laudium substation.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the arrests had come after a thorough investigation into a crime syndicate that had started operating in November 2024.
She said the case dated back to the theft of a transformer, valued at about R7 million, from the Laudium substation.
Initially, 11 people were arrested, including 10 subcontractors and one municipal employee.
'The 10 suspects who were subcontractors were released after they could not be linked to the crime, and one, who is an employee of the municipality, remained behind bars and has since made several court appearances,' Nevhuhulwi said.
The three officials arrested on Tuesday have been charged with theft of essential infrastructure and are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
'More arrests are expected as investigations continue,' Nevhuhulwi added.
Tshwane police commissioner Major-General Samuel Thine applauded the investigative team's efforts.
'The police will continue working hard in dismantling the syndicates that target essential infrastructure and related crimes, as this has a detrimental impact on the economy of the country,' he said.
