The Ermelo District Court has handed down a 35-year prison sentence to Simeon Majaonke Shongwe (46) for acts of sabotage and theft at the Eskom Camden Power Station. The sentence was delivered on Monday, 26 January 2026.
Shongwe’s crimes date back to 10 November 2022, when he intentionally caused damage valued at R22,726,180.00 at the essential infrastructure facility. His arrest followed five days after the incident.
The case was subsequently transferred to the Hawks’ Secunda-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit. According to law enforcement, evidence gathered from witnesses and the crime scene formed a strong case presented before the court.
Following a series of court appearances, Shongwe was released on bail as the investigation proceeded.
This week, the court sentenced Shongwe to 20 years’ imprisonment for tampering with essential infrastructure and a further 15 years for theft. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently. Consequently, Shongwe is expected to serve an effective 20 years behind bars.