Suspected cable thief burned to death in Limpopo village
Residents of Maniini took the law into their own hands, killing a man caught allegedly stealing copper cables.
LIMPOPO – A man accused of stealing copper cables died when he was caught and set alight by an enraged mob in Maniini village just outside Thohoyandou on Saturday evening.
According to residents, the man was caught red-handed while stripping the plastic casing off stolen copper cables. The community, fed up with repeated power outages and the ongoing theft of electricity infrastructure, took matters into their own hands.
A resident, speaking anonymously, said that a late-night meeting was held around 23:00 to search for the culprits, known locally as ‘izinyoka’ (illegal connections or cable thieves).
“We didn’t sleep that night. We were worried they’d strike again. In the morning, we caught him and he was beaten and burned to death,” said the source.
Residents say cable theft has left many households without power for extended periods, with Eskom reportedly struggling to restore electricity due to the extent of the damage and delays in replacing stolen infrastructure.
Some families have even been told to buy their own cables to restore power – a demand that is nearly impossible for many due to high unemployment in the area.
Police spokesperson WO Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the incident and said a case of murder has been opened and is being investigated by the Thohoyandou police.
“We recovered the stolen copper cable at the scene.
No arrests have been made, and we urge anyone with information to come forward,” he said.
Dathi also warned residents against taking the law into their own hands. “We understand the frustration, but mob justice is a criminal offence. Let the police and justice system deal with suspects lawfully,” he said.
