Hawks recover R9 Million in stolen Eskom equipment near Bloemfontein

A multi-agency operation led by the Hawks has resulted in the recovery of suspected stolen Eskom property valued at approximately R9 million.

The joint sting, which included the Tactical Response Team (TRT), Firearms, Liquor and Second-Hand Goods (FLASH), Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), Eskom, and Centlec, was executed on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, at a plot on the outskirts of Bloemfontein.

According to Free State Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, detectives from the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team secured a search warrant after receiving intelligence about a warehouse allegedly used to store stolen infrastructure.

During the search, officials uncovered multiple voltage transformers, rolls of copper cable, electricity meter boxes, and other loose items. Eskom representatives on site confirmed the goods belonged to the power utility.

The Free State Head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, confirmed that investigations are ongoing to trace those behind the theft.

“We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the protection of essential infrastructure,” Bokaba said.