South Africa: Eskom Warns Vandalism Remains A Significant Threat To Continuous Electricity Supply And Public Safety, Losing $11.2 Million In A Year

Key Findings

•  Infrastructure vandalism and theft have cost Eskom approximately R221 million ($11,206,086.21) year-to-date (April 1, 2024, to February 2025), down from R271 million ($13,741,399.84) in the same period the previous year.
• Eskom commends the South African Police Service (SAPS) for its recent intelligence-driven operation, which led to the arrest of six suspects found in possession of Eskom property valued at R1.5 million.
• The suspects appeared in the Ngwelezane Magistrate’s Court on April 7, 2025.

South Africa’s power utility company, Eskom, has reported a decline in criminal activities targeting its electrical infrastructure, including mini-substations, high-voltage pylons, and transformers, in 2025 compared to the previous year.

However, the company noted that these incidents remain high and raise serious concerns, with widespread consequences for electricity supply and public safety.

“We urge communities to play a role in safeguarding the infrastructure that delivers electricity to their homes and businesses,” says Monde Bala, Eskom’s Group Executive for Distribution in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 9,2025.

“Reliable electricity is essential for daily life, preserving food, cooking, heating, lighting, and enabling children to study after dark. Protecting this infrastructure is a shared responsibility,” Monde added.

Vandalism results in unplanned power outages, often leaving homes and businesses without electricity for extended periods.

The restoration process can be prolonged, particularly when essential infrastructure such as transformers or high-voltage breaker components is damaged, as these items can take weeks to replace.

Although Eskom has seen a reduction in these crimes due to increased collaboration with law enforcement agencies and improved security measures, the problem persists and remains unacceptable.

“We cannot continue to lose members of our communities to these preventable incidents,” concludes Bala.

“Everyone must remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and reject the notion that vandalism is an acceptable means of survival.”

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com