Power plant sabotaged

Acts of sabotage are being investigated at South Africa’s state-owned power stations after ‘‘suspicious events’’ triggered a fresh wave of crippling power cuts. Andre de Ruyter, chief executive of state power provider Eskom, said a collapsed pylon at Lethabo power station in Free State province, the country’s most reliable producer, was found to have had its eight steel supports cut. South Africa’s power plants are battling to function after years of corruption and underinvestment. Eskom produces about 90 per cent of South Africa’s power, and de Ruyter has become an unpopular figure among staff and unions for taking a hard line on corruption and a bloated workforce. Some analysts have speculated that the recent sabotage could be part of a plan to force him out.