A couple living in Hartbeespoort was arrested on Friday in connection with the illegal sale of Eskom pre-paid electricity vouchers and for allegedly operating with fake permits during the lockdown.

The arrests took place at their rented house in a luxury estate, after an arrest warrant was issued. 

According to Peter Malitsha, Eskom’s senior manager responsible for internal investigations: “The investigations were triggered by an arrest made in December 2018, where two illegal credit dispensing units  were recovered and seized in another rented house in an opulent estate in Pretoria East."

The suspects were not registered Eskom vendors, yet they allegedly issued vouchers originated from stolen Eskom units. In addition, the suspects were found in possession of fraudulent Disaster Management Act (DMA) travelling permits, R20,000 cash and prepaid electricity vouchers which were immediately confiscated by the investigation team, Malitsha added.

This event led to the arrest of a third suspect in Kempton Park, who is allegedly known to be the originator of the fraudulent travelling permits which enabled the couple to travel for their "illegal business of selling Eskom pre-paid vouchers".

According to Malitsha, the illegal buying and selling of prepaid electricity vouchers is one of the forms of electricity theft which has led to the country’s economic downturn. It causes job losses, spikes in energy tariffs, and pressurises taxpayers and legal electricity buyers.