Hawks arrest Camden truck driver for 'tampering with coal'

Hawks arrest Camden truck driver for 'tampering with coal'

The Hawks have arrested a 28-year-old suspect on charges of fraud and theft after he allegedly attempted to steal Eskom coal.

Camden truck driver arrest
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The suspect was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning at Eskom's Camden power station in Mpumalanga.

The arrest comes just a week after a contractor was arrested at the same station after he was positively linked to an incident of sabotage.

 Hawks spokesperson Philani Nkwalase says the truck was subcontracted to collect coal from Msimbithi Coal Mine in Wonderfontein near Belfast and deliver it to Camden Power Station.

"It is alleged that the truck driver deviated from that route with the original coal worth approximately R30 000 and delivered it to an illegal coal yard on Bethal road in Vaalbank near Middelburg. A rubble coal mixed with stones was allegedly loaded on the truck for delivery to Camden Power Station.

“The truck driver was intercepted by Bidvest Protea Coin Security on arrival at power station and the matter was reported to the police and the matter was referred to the Hawks for further investigation. The man was arrested and the truck as well as the rubble coal mixed with stones were seized for further investigation.”

Nkwalase says investigations revealed that the criminal actions were not only meant to defraud Eskom but to also cause irreversible damage to the machinery and derail the electricity production process.

The suspect is expected to make his first appearance in the Belfast Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

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