Latest news with #Isipingo
News24
16-07-2025
- News24
Two suspected robbers killed in substation blast in Durban
Two suspected robbers have been killed after they allegedly broke into the Cocos and Bauhenia Mini Substation in Lotus Park, Isipingo, which led to a deadly explosion. The eThekwini Municipality said the explosion occurred on Tuesday morning. The City's Energy Management Directorate suspects that a group of four individuals illegally accessed the substation with the intent to interfere with live electrical components, which caused the blast. Two of the suspects were declared dead on the scene, while the remaining individuals are believed to have fled. A fire broke out as a result of the explosion, damaging the facility and causing a temporary power outage in parts of the area. READ | Zama zama explosives may have caused Springs explosion that destroyed 20 homes, injured 4 While electricity supply has been restored to some sections of Lotus Park, full restoration is expected by Wednesday evening. The substation has been isolated as preparations are underway to install a new transformer. Philani Shange, acting director of the Energy Management Directorate, described the incident as a grim warning about the potentially fatal consequences of tampering with electrical infrastructure. 'Not only do such acts compromise the reliability of electricity supply for residents, but they also endanger lives - including those of the perpetrators,' Shange said. The municipality has condemned all acts of sabotage and theft targeting the city's infrastructure and has urged residents to remain vigilant. The City said in a statement: We call on members of the public to actively protect community resources by reporting any suspicious activity near substations, transformers, or power lines. Electricity theft, illegal connections, and vandalism continue to place a severe burden on the city's electrical infrastructure, often leaving residents without power and exposing communities to serious safety hazards. The municipality has appealed to the public to immediately report any incidents of tampering or theft to law enforcement or the City's electricity fault reporting line.
The Herald
15-06-2025
- The Herald
Hawks arrest five suspects in Durban in connection with fraudulent passport syndicate
Five people were arrested in Durban on Saturday in connection with a fraudulent passport syndicate involving home affairs employees, foreign nationals and a group of locals. Hawks national spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said the Hawks' serious corruption investigation component had secured a number of arrest warrants which were executed in Durban on Saturday. 'The execution operation emanates from a complaint from the department of home affairs (DHA) relating to the issuance of fraudulent passports to undocumented foreign nationals. 'The allegations of serious offences include corruption, fraud and contraventions of the Identification Act and Immigration Act that took place between February 2020 and July 2023. A group of South African citizens allegedly facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of South African passports by foreign nationals at DHA offices in Durban, specifically the Commercial Street branch. These unlawful activities took place outside regular business hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays when the DHA offices were officially closed.' He said preliminary investigations by the DHA confirmed the criminal activities where locals were offered R300 to R1,000 in exchange for their co-operation at DHA offices in Isipingo, Durban Central and Eshowe. The five suspects arrested in various parts of Durban will face charges of corruption, fraud, contravention of the Immigration Act and contravention of the Identification Act. They will appear in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Durban on Tuesday, he said. Seven DHA officials and 31 others have been arrested between September 2022 to date in connection with this syndicate. Of these, 24 — including four DHA officials — have been convicted and sentenced to a combined sentence of 310 years' imprisonment. TimesLIVE
