Suspect Arrested After Komani Substation Vandalism Leaves Thousands Without Power

A suspect has been arrested after allegedly attempting to sell a transformer believed to be linked to the vandalism of the Queendustria Substation, an incident that left thousands of residents in Komani and Ezibeleni without electricity.

The power outage began at about 11:30pm on Tuesday, 14 July, after cable thieves and vandals targeted the substation, damaging critical electrical infrastructure. Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality confirmed that a criminal case had been opened with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Responding to questions from Komani News, SAPS spokesperson Captain Mgolodela confirmed that police arrested a suspect at a second-hand goods shop in Ezibeleni.

“A suspect was arrested at a second-hand goods shop at Ezibeleni allegedly trying to sell a transformer. Police were summoned and the suspect claimed to have come across the transformer next to the railway line close to Queendustria. The suspect has been arrested and charged for possession of suspected stolen property,” Mgolodela said.

She cautioned that investigators have not yet linked the suspect to the vandalism at the substation.

“It is premature to associate him with vandalism at Queendustria until all evidence linking him to the vandalism is collected as investigations are underway,” she said.

The case has since been transferred to Komani Police Station, as the area falls within its policing jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality said the theft of cables and damage to the substation’s electrical protection system has caused a prolonged power outage affecting Komani Park, Queensview Park, Laurie Dashwood Park, Ezibeleni, Sandringham, New Rest and the Army Base.

Municipal technical teams and specialist service providers are assessing the full extent of the damage. The municipality has not yet provided a timeframe for restoring electricity and has warned residents to prepare for an extended outage.

Police investigations into both the alleged possession of suspected stolen property and the vandalism at the Queendustria Substation are continuing.