The deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) at four Eskom power stations has been welcomed by the chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, Sahlulele Luzipo. 

News24 reported late on Saturday that a minimum of ten soldiers would be deployed at each of the following power stations: Majuba, Camden, Grootvlei, and Tutuka.

The move was "in response to the growing threat of sabotage, theft, vandalism and corruption" at coal and diesel power generating plants, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

Luzipo said this came 'hot on the heels" of a successful raid of an illegal coal yard by multidisciplinary law enforcement agencies in Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga on Thursday.

According to eNCA, more than 16 people were arrested and trucks as well as documents were seized as a result of the raid.

Luzipo said: "The committee has always held a firm view that the country’s electricity crisis is caused by Eskom’s inability to deal with maintenance of ageing power stations and internal sabotage as opposed to a policy failure. We now feel exonerated." 

He added that talks about stabilising the country’s electricity should be about "coming up with technological mechanisms" to detect early signs of criminality and sabotage, "considering that the deployment of the army alone is not a sustainable solution".