SAPS arrests seven in Emfuleni Electricity fraud and infrastructure tampering case

The Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) has arrested seven employees of the Emfuleni Local Municipality in connection with allegations of fraud, theft and tampering with essential infrastructure.

Two additional suspects were arrested on Sunday, 23 August 2026, during an operation in Vanderbijlpark. They are employees attached to the municipality’s Revenue and Electricity Department.

The arrests follow an earlier takedown operation on Friday, 21 August, in which five municipal employees were arrested.

According to preliminary investigations, the suspects allegedly operated a scheme in which they presented themselves to municipal customers as authorised officials who could reconnect electricity supplies that had been disconnected by the municipality.

Customers were allegedly instructed to pay money directly into the suspects’ bank accounts in exchange for the illegal reconnection of their electricity.

Police further allege that electricity supplies were unlawfully reconnected without municipal authorisation, resulting in illegal electricity usage and financial losses for the municipality.

All seven suspects are expected to appear before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 24 August 2026.

The Gauteng PKTT says investigations are continuing and that further arrests are anticipated.