Cable Theft Forum plans to close illegal scrapyards

The Cable Theft Forum is going to partner with law enforcement authorities to close the illegal scrapyards in Villa Liza, Windmill Park and Dawn Park in June.

The secretary of the forum, Lethukukhanya Khanyile, said they are planning to close the scrapyards because they are not adhering to the council’s bylaws and stolen cables are sold to them.

“We strongly believe that the stolen cables are sold to illegal scrapyards. That is the only place they can sell these stolen infrastructures,” he explained.

Khanyile urges people to report any unauthorised use of land in their areas.

“It’s also important for people to report any illegal activities they see happening at illegal scrapyards.

“Since our inception in February, we have not stopped fighting cable theft and we are taking the necessary measures to put an end to it. The four areas that used to face massive power cuts due to cable theft are no longer facing such difficulties since we started guarding the power grids,” he stated.

He said they are in communication with the law enforcement authorities to come on board and join the operation so it can be lawful.

“After we initiated the cable theft awareness drive on April 1, we delivered a memorandum of dissatisfaction to the Dawn Park SAPS.

“In the memorandum we mentioned that we are displeased with how the police station operates, especially dealing with the issue of cable theft in their jurisdiction,” he said.

Khanyile said they are also probing the cable theft case that happened on April 22 in Windmill Park, wherein two suspects were arrested for possession of the power cables. They were released because of a lack of evidence.

The power cables went missing at the Dawn Park Police Station.

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