Ivory Park SAPS has welcomed the three years’ effective jail time handed to two men from Kaalfontein for the theft of Eskom cables.
According to the Ivory Park SAPS communications officer, Captain Bernard Matimulane, the two, Eric Maphosa (26) and Honest Ncube (25), were on June 13 sentenced by the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court for the crime committed in February this year.
“At the time of their arrest in Kaalfontein, the duo was found in possession of five metres of Eskom cable worth R15 000. They were also found in possession of the tools used in digging and cutting the cables. Their conviction brings the number of suspects sentenced to four as a result of the investigations by the Ivory Park SAPS in the past two months,” said Matimulane.
He added last month two other men, Simbarashe Ncube (32) and Thomson Sibanda (26), were convicted by the same court and sentenced to three years direct imprisonment.
“They were caught digging out cables in Kaalfontein in January this year. They had already dug out 3.5m of Eskom owned cable,” said Matimulane.
The station commander of the Ivory Park SAPS, Brigadier David Mbongeni Ngcobo, has welcomed these sentences.
“The inconveniences brought about by the theft of cables have been well documented, from electricity cut-offs to traffic congestions. It’s an economic crime that must be fought with all that we have. These convictions will send clear signals,” said Ngcobo.
