Members of the Benoni Police Station arrested three foreign nationals, aged between 24 and 34, who were found to be in possession of stolen copper cable, on May 17.
According to Capt Nomsa Sekele, spokesperson for the police station, members of the Crime Prevention Unit were conducting routine patrols when they stopped a white Toyota bakkie.
“Upon searching the vehicle, members discovered it to be carrying a load of cable,” said Sekele.
“The suspects were unable to give a satisfactory reason or any form of proof that warrants them to be in possession of these items and they were therefore arrested on charges of infrastructure damage.”
The matter was handed over to the newly formed Essential Infrastructure Task Team, based at Ekurhuleni District offices, which has been tasked to investigate any cases pertaining to cases of this nature.
Interrogation of the suspects, further led the task team to a property in Teanong Extension Five, Thembisa, where one of the suspects was renting a room. More stolen items were found.
“The items, which were identified by members of the Ekurhuleni Metro’s Department of Energy, included cables as well as circuit breakers with an estimated value of R100 000,” said Sekele.
Tembisa Police Station commander Brig Roopchand Sookraj, hailed the arrests as a huge success, stating that damage to essential infrastructure, such as electricity cables has placed the affected communities under immense strain which in turn, could lead to service delivery protests.
The suspects will appear in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court for illegal possession of copper cables while the third suspect will face an extra charge of illegal possession of essential infrastructure, which will be heard in the Thembisa Magistrate’s Court.
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