04 December 2024: A collaborative operation involving Eskom Gauteng Distribution Security City Power and Eskom-contracted security personnel uncovered a large-scale illegal electricity operation during a raid at three houses located on a farm Intelligence investigations uncovered that stolen electrical equipment was being used to supply electricity illegally to nearby informal settlements in exchange for payment Over 600 informal households were illegally connected to electricity provided by the farmer This operation has led to an estimated financial loss of more than R6.6 million for Eskom authorities recovered critical infrastructure including two transformers (2x100kVA and 1x50kVA) and 150 meter boxes belonging to City Power and Eskom suspected of orchestrating the illegal activities has been arrested and is in custody at Fochville Police Station The suspect was charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and malicious damage to property including illegal redistribution and resale of electricity The suspect remains in custody following his appearance in court today and will appear again on 11 December 2024 for his bail application hearing Eskom has been investigating the case since 2018 with the property being disconnected multiple times the farmer repeatedly reconnected the power supply Tampering with or damaging critical infrastructure is a criminal offense under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act with penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment Such activities disrupt essential services and undermine the sustainability of the electricity network This case highlights the dangers and challenges Eskom faces in tackling illegal electricity usage and underlines the importance of joint efforts to combat electricity theft and ensure accountability illegal connections jeopardise public safety damage infrastructure and undermine the trust of stakeholders Eskom remains focused on recovering financial losses caused by illegal activities and will utilise all legal avenues including asset seizures from convicted individuals Eskom’s Group Investigation and Security team is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of security and integrity to protect critical assets The organisation continues to collaborate with the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) Safety and Security Priority Committee to combat these crimes The public is encouraged to report illegal electricity connections or activities anonymously by contacting the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 sending a WhatsApp message to 081 333 3323 © 2025 Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd Reg No 2002/015527/30 All rights reserved  |  Terms of use This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers Eskom said that a farm owner in the Fochville area in Gauteng is in custody for allegedly supplying hundreds of homes in informal settlements with illegal power said a joint investigation stakeholder investigation led to the discovery of a large-scale illegal operation on the heavily-guarded farm in Leeupoort near Fochville “Intelligence investigations uncovered that stolen electrical equipment was being used to supply electricity illegally to nearby informal settlements in exchange for payment “Over 600 informal households were illegally connected to electricity provided by the farmer This operation has led to an estimated financial loss of more than R6.6 million for Eskom,” Mokoena said Mokoena said the farm owner has been charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and malicious damage to property She said Eskom has been investigating the case since 2018 the farmer repeatedly reconnected the power supply,” she said Mokoena said he appeared in court on Wednesday and the matter was postponed to 11 December for a bail hearing an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj Join Mark Marshall as he shares his extraordinary encounters with everything from bees to reptiles i AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale FOCHVILLE - It seems a case of broken government promises for the families of the 11 pupils killed in a scholar transport crash in July They are raising questions about some of the assistance they were promised in the days after the tragic crash They spoke out at the Fochville Magistrate’s court allegedly responsible for the deadly accident eNCA reporter Hloni Mtimkulu was there and filled this report in the video above Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Speculation continues on what was likely to have caused the devastating Fochville scholar transport accident that killed 11 learners and the driver on Wednesday morning The Hlalele family lost four children in the crash, two boys and two girls aged between seven and 12. Thato (8) Sihle (12), Hlompo (11) and Reneilwe (7), were all learners at Rocklands Primary School.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads the four were using this scholar transport provider for the first time Hlalele family spokesperson and uncle to the four deceased children said the family was grateful that the MECs for education and transport visited the family to convey their condolences Manqa said they hoped the investigation would move swiftly so the families could have closure “We really want to know what happened,” Manqa said It has come to light that the scholar transport vehicle was not registered with the Gauteng Department of Education This was confirmed by Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela The 14-seater minibus that was involved in the crash with a bakkie is believed to have been carrying about 20 pupils transporting them from Kokosi-Wedela to Rocklands Primary School and Blyvooruitzicht Laerskool in Carletonville Eleven learners and the driver of the scholar transport vehicle died in the incident, The driver of the bakkie and a reported seven other pupils were rushed to hospital for medical attention.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Tlabela said: “This was a private education transport provider We don’t have many details because the driver also passed on in this unfortunate incident but the team is busy with investigations so that we can give answers We are not sure if it was licensed accordingly whether the driver or owner had a permit to transport children.” She said the department’s responsibility was to regulate scholar transport and ensure vehicles and drivers were compliant let us verify [whether vehicles are registered]… Let’s make sure children travel to school in safe and sound car private scholar transports let’s care enough for our children before profits We will also work hard as government to make sure we deal with the challenges within the education transport sector as there is a need and this is a multifaceted challenge.”  Read more in Daily Maverick: Gauteng police open culpable homicide case after 12 pupils killed in horror Fochville crash It was confirmed by the provincial police’s crash unit at the scene that both vehicles involved in the tragedy were roadworthy Police said they were investigating a case of culpable homicide Education MEC Matome Chiloane said the department had dispatched its psychosocial support team to provide immediate support to the schools and families var d=document,w="https://tally.so/widgets/embed.js",v=function(){"undefined"!=typeof Tally?Tally.loadEmbeds():d.querySelectorAll("iframe[data-tally-src]:not([src])").forEach((function(e){e.src=e.dataset.tallySrc}))};if("undefined"!=typeof Tally)v();else if(d.querySelector('script[src="'+w+'"]')==null){var s=d.createElement("script");s.src=w,s.onload=v,s.onerror=v,d.body.appendChild(s);} ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " 20 December 2024: The suspect arrested in connection with a large-scale illegal electricity operation uncovered in Leeupoort near Fochville in Gauteng earlier this month has been denied bail and will remain in custody at the Klerksdorp correctional facility until the next court appearance Eskom supports the court’s decision as it underscores the seriousness of the offence and supports ongoing efforts to deter such activities This case highlights the significant challenges Eskom faces in combating electricity theft and its broader implications for the utility and the nation was apprehended earlier this month following a collaborative raid involving Eskom Gauteng Distribution Security The operation exposed the illegal supply of electricity to over 600 informal households resulting in an estimated financial loss of more than R6.6 million for Eskom including transformers and meter boxes belonging to City Power and Eskom which were used to facilitate the illegal operation The suspect was charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and the illegal redistribution and resale of electricity Eskom reiterates its commitment to working with law enforcement and other stakeholders to combat electricity theft which undermines the sustainability of the electricity network and undermines its financial sustainability Eskom urges the public to report anonymously illegal electricity connections and tampering with infrastructure to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or sending a WhatsApp message to 081 333 3323 registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said SAPS Crime Scene Management responded to the accident which occurred at about 7am on Blyvoor Road “The accident was between a Ford Ranger bakkie and a minibus carrying school children At this stage we can confirm that 13 people have died and seven learners are in hospital as well as the driver of the bakkie.” Muridili said the pupils were being transported to the Rocklands and Blyvooruitzicht primary schools in Blyvooruitzicht The police were investigating a case of culpable homicide The cause of the accident remained unknown The crash follows demands by the DA in Gauteng for a review of the scholar transport policy to ensure pupils’ safety the party urged Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane and the province’s MEC for roads and transport in which a scholar transport vehicle carrying Sandringham High School pupils collided with another vehicle urged the provincial education department to work with the investigative authorities to determine the facts of the tragedy and bring the case to a conclusion Chiloane said on Wednesday he is saddened by the incident “The loss of our children is a blow to our community and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and injured learners We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families Chiloane added that the department has dispatched its psychosocial support team to provide immediate support to the schools and families MEC @matomekopano is deeply saddened to confirm an incident that occurred this morning 11 learners from Rocklands Primary School and 1 learner from Laerskool Blyvooruitsig in Carletonville, along with their driver, lost their lives in a devastating accident. pic.twitter.com/YNksxRWlos — Gauteng Department of Education (@EducationGP1) July 10, 2024 Home | South Africa An 80-year-old man was arrested in Fochville for electricity theft worth R6 million The farmer was found to have been illegally connecting and selling electricity to communities on his farming property The arrest was made by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) energy safety and security work stream The farmer had been illegally supplying over 600 informal households with electricity and electrical cables were found on the property Eskom had been investigating the property since 2018 and had disconnected power on the farm several times He appeared in court yesterday facing charges of tampering with essential infrastructure theft of electricity worth over R6 million and theft of meter boxes worth R476 000 The matter has been postponed for a formal bail application next Wednesday #sapsHQ The #NatJOINTS energy safety and security work stream continues to register commendable progress in ensuring that all forms of criminality that hamper the mandate of Eskom are dealt with decisively In its latest takedown operation on 03/12, An 80yr-old farmer was… pic.twitter.com/dE16Xebo8K — SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) December 5, 2024 Over 70 Grade 12 learners from different schools in the West Rand are undergoing treatment at Carletonville District Hospital as a result of a possible food poisoning incident The Gauteng department of health  confirmed the incident It said the 74 female pupils are from Fochville Secondary School They were involved in the incident that occurred on Thursday morning Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the learners were attending a matric camp at Fochville Secondary School “The learners between the ages of 17 and 20 [years] were taken to the Fochville Clinic this morning at 9am [They had] symptoms comparable to diarrhoea and cramping in the stomach,” Modiba said Kokosi Clinic received reports from 32 learners Carletonville District Hospital was recommended for additional medical assessment for all impacted learners.” “Our medical professionals are keeping a careful eye on everything most of the students are in a stable situation,” he added This incident comes after the recent tragedy in Naledi a group of five minors died after consuming snacks that were allegedly bought from a local spaza shop One of the minors is still in hospital fighting for his life after the suspected food poisoning Modiba said these recurring incidents are a huge concern to the department “We are collaborating closely with the appropriate authorities to increase community awareness And we would like to encourage people to be mindful of food safety To handle perishable and non-perishable food items properly It is crucial that food is cooked thoroughly He further said it is crucial to wash hands both before handling food and after using the restroom This is important in order to prevent cross-contamination Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Fundudzi Media (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy. JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Department of Education said the 11 pupils who died in a Carletonville crash will be laid to rest on Thursday in the West Rand. A joint funeral service for the children will take place at Fochville Secondary School, less than 10 kilometres away from where they died. The children, along with their driver, were killed in July when a taxi taking them to school was hit by a bakkie. The funeral will take place following a delayed DNA identification process. Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said: "Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane will attend the mass funeral of the learners who lost their lives during a devastating scholar transport accident. The funeral service will commence at around 8 o’clock in the morning." Sections Twenty days after 11 pupils together with their scholar transport driver lost their lives in a horror crash in Fochville the motorist accused of causing the accident faces charges of 12 counts of culpable homicide and reckless or negligent driving The exact number of pupils affected by scholar transport issues including injuries and fatalities from accidents every year numerous scholar transport-related incidents occur across the country Just last Monday, 11-year-old Lifalethu Mbasana a learner from Simon’s Town School in Cape Town’s Deep South had to walk at least 13km of his more than 70km journey home to Khayelitsha after being kicked off the bus for losing his ticket Department of  Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the main challenge in the National Scholar Transport Policy was the lack of capacity to transport all qualifying learners. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “That means many learners still walk to school due to a lack of sufficient funding due to economic constraints in the country.” The National Scholar Transport Policy aims to create a consistent framework for addressing learner transport challenges Its key objectives are to standardise norms and standards and provide a framework for monitoring and evaluating transport services Subsidised transport targets learners from grades R to 12 who live in areas lacking public transport and face long walks to school of more than three kilometres While these policies are well-intentioned, inadequate funding and poor implementation have led to an increased reliance on private operators. These operators are often poorly regulated and can pose safety risks.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads A group of pupils await for transport on 23 July Thabo Maponya, the chairperson of the Bokamoso Scholar Transport Association, a private scholar transport service provider based in Soweto, told Daily Maverick that there was a lack of engagement from the education department with the sector.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “There are a lot of issues that we are going through We have been trying to engage with the government to intervene We have been shut out; they don’t want to give us time or an ear The only time they want to speak to us is when something has happened for example… This is an environment where anyone can just come in and be a scholar transport service parents not caring enough to send their children to transports they have not vetted themselves Read in Daily Maverick:Grieving Gauteng family calls for swift probe into Fochville horror crash that killed 11 pupils all died in the horror Fochville crash in Gauteng on Wednesday (Photos: Supplied/Gauteng Department of Education) Msibi said that at the centre of the nationwide scholar transport issues was the lack of enough financial resources for scholar transportation. He said: “According to the provinces, it hinders full implementation of transport services to cover the scope of all learners who require transportation to learning institutions.” advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads He added: “Road crashes are a major concern during the transportation of learners A bigger percentage of these crashes affects privately arranged learner transport The subsidised learner transport managed by the government has fewer road crashes as well as the closure and rationalisation of schools have led to learners walking long distances to schools It seems that addressing these multifaceted issues requires immediate, coordinated action from both the Department of Transport and the Department of Basic Education, alongside increased financial investment and stringent regulation to ensure the safety and reliability of scholar transport nationwide. DM 2 things: 1) good urban planning coordinated between mun planning depts and proc education depts should ensure all primary schools + ideally high schools should be in walking distance of at least urban residents. 2) quality of education in those schools should be top notch Dates on the caption and the story do not match… 2023 or 2024? JOHANNESBURG - The case against a driver involved in an accident that killed 11 learners in Carletonville in July has been postponed to 2025. Gert van Emmenis will return to the Fochville Magistrates Court on 20 January after further investigations.  He appeared in court briefly on Tuesday morning facing charges of culpable homicide. Van Emmenis was driving his bakkie on the morning of the accident, when it rammed into a taxi transporting the children, killing the 11 learners and their driver. FOCHVILLE - A memorial service will be held for the 11 children killed in the horror Carletonville crash last week Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane and other officials are expected to attend the service The children and their scholar transport driver were killed in the collision WATCH | FAMILIES' DESPERATE WAIT TO IDENTIFY BURNT BODIES AFTER TRAGIC CRASH The vehicle overturned and caught fire after being hit by a bakkie from behind Ten of the pupils attended Rocklands Primary School and one was from Laerskool Blyvooruitsig in Carletonville The joint memorial service will be held at the Grace Bible Church the bakkie driver remains under police guard in hospital JOHANNESBURG - Eleven schoolchildren who died in a horror crash in Carletonville last month will be buried in a mass funeral today.   The service will take place at Fochville Secondary School on the West Rand The funeral was delayed by DNA identification processes READ: SA's road carnage | Bakkie driver in scholar transport crash granted bail The victims were pupils at Rocklands Primary School and Laerskool Blyvooruitsig were killed after a bakkie slammed into the back of the taxi they were travelling in