Mapaballo Borotho and Kaya News

Three officials from the City of Tshwane have been arrested in connection with transformer theft, following a major operation on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
The trio is accused of stealing transformers from the Laudium Substation, an act that has worsened the area’s already severe power outages.
The theft is being described as a major setback in the city’s efforts to stabilise the electricity supply.
BREAKING NEWS: Three officials from the City of Tshwane Municipality Depot have just been arrested at the depot this morning.
— Kaya News (@KayaNews) July 1, 2025
They are accused of stealing transformers from the Laudium Substation, a major blow behind the area’s already crippling power cuts.
The three officials… pic.twitter.com/kTB6qSfqMc
Speaking to Kaya News at the Tshwane Municipality Depot, General Samuel Thine confirmed the stolen equipment is valued at around R7 million.
“That is quite a lot of money involved. The impact is massive. We are sending a strong message to anyone involved in stealing the city’s infrastructure: they will face serious consequences,” he said.
Officials have not ruled out the possibility of further arrests, suggesting that more employees within the municipality could be implicated in the theft of essential infrastructure.
Law enforcement authorities have warned that such crimes will not be tolerated, especially given the devastating impact of power cuts on residents and businesses alike. Many South Africans are left in the dark for hours at a time, with daily life and economic productivity severely disrupted.
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