Jail time and multi-million rand fines for cable thieves

People tampering with essential infrastructure that provides services to communities could face stiff jail sentences or fines of up to R100-million for corporates.

Individuals arrested and successfully prosecuted for damaging infrastructure face a maximum prison sentence of 30 years, while corporate bodies could face a maximum fine of R100-million.

This was said by ward councillor Hannes Coetzee when talking about what the government was doing to combat the scourge of cable theft in the north of Pretoria and throughout the country.

He was addressing a meeting last week, at the Danie Malan primary school after residents had highlighted how faulty traffic lights inconvenienced them.

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Citing the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 2015, Coetzee said cable theft was not the only basic service rendered which the law aimed to curb.

“These include other services provided by either the public or private sector related to energy, transport, water, sanitation, communication and tampering with services which prejudiced livelihoods, people’s well-being and both the country’s daily and economic activities,” Coetzee said.

“Those guilty of the offences related to essential infrastructure included those who unlawfully or intentionally tamper with, alter, cut, disturb, interfere with, interrupt, manipulate, obstruct, remove or uproot by any means, method or device with, damage or destroy the infrastructure.”

He said this included those who colluded with or assisted another with the commission, performance and/or carrying out the activity.

“And [a person] who knows or ought reasonably to have known or suspected that it is essential infrastructure, is guilty of an offence and liable to a period of imprisonment not exceeding 30 years or, in the case of a corporate body a fine not exceeding R100-million,” according to a Government Gazette proclaiming the new penalties.

The importance of essential infrastructure in providing basic services to the public and the harmful consequences if basic services could not be provided were highlighted.

READ MORE: Man nabbed in north with 30kg of ‘stolen Telkom cable’

“Be mindful of the negative impact of these offences on South Africa’s economy and on peace and stability in the country,” Coetzee said.

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