At about 5am last Tuesday, March 1, a team from Transnet and Colenso police were conducting an operation on the Pieters Road when they came across four men aged between 25 and 42. The men were removing copper cabling.

The suspects were arrested and a motor vehicle used by them was seized. The recovered cable is valued at R150 000. They will appear in the Colenso Magistrate’s Court on theft charges.

The Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the team for the arrest of the suspects as well as the recovery of copper cables.

“The theft of copper cables has impacted negatively; it has financial implications for individuals and businesses and affects the economy of the country as a whole. When cables are stolen, many areas are plunged into darkness and lose telephonic contact with relatives, businesses and even emergency services,” she said.