Power utility Eskom has escalated loadshedding to stage 4 between 4pm and midnight on Thursday.
The state-owned power utility said in a statement that a shortage of generation capacity has necessitated it to go back to blackouts after a two week reprieve.
It also reported that three cable thieves were convicted and sentenced to 39 years imprisonment for stealing more than 564kg of its aluminium overhead conductor in 2018.
“The three men were sentenced on 11 July 2022, after they were convicted on possession of stolen property in line with the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015,” said Eskom.
Eskom’s SHEQS manager Kith Maitisa commended the exemplary action ofthe scrap dealer and for the swift response of the security contractor and the police.
“Theft of cables, overhead lines, transformers and conductors costs Eskom approximately R4 billion per year. The arrests and convictions are an indication of what we can achieve if we collaborate with different stakeholders to fight electricity crime,” concluded Maitisa.
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