 | Drakenstein Municipality welcomes harsh sentences for cable thieves
03 August 2022 | Press Releases |
Press Release
3 Aug 2022
Drakenstein Municipality is serious about fighting the scourge of cable and copper theft and Alderman Conrad Poole, Executive Mayor, has welcomed the recent conviction and harsh sentences of four cable thieves.
In the first case three men were convicted for the theft of streetlight cables and other items in the Wellington Magistrates’ Court. Each one received a sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment of which three years were suspended for five years.
In another case in the Paarl Regional Court one person was found guilty on two charges. In the first case he was arrested for stealing wiring and in the second he was tried on a charge of theft of copper cabling. He was also found in possession of streetlight items.
He received a sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment on the first charge and six years on the second, of which three years were suspended.
During the investigation Drakenstein Municipality’s Electro-Technical Services division worked closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development by giving the court an overview of critical infrastructure and cable theft, the damage it causes, the impact on communities, and statistics of incidents. This assisted the courts in handing down these strict sentences.
Alderman Poole said it was a victory for Drakenstein Municipality. He believes these sentences will deter those criminals who are making a living from vandalising and stealing the Municipality’s property.
“I want to thank our Law Enforcement division, the Cable Theft Unit, SAPS, our farm and neighbourhood watches, and the private security firms for their dedication in dealing with these unscrupulous operators. It is heartening to see that our judicial system dealt with them harshly and that they received the punishment they deserve.
“I want to point out that during the 2020/21 financial year, the Municipality suffered losses of over R5 million to replace infrastructure due to cable theft, so it is a massive problem. Cable theft has an impact on the delivery of crucial services, primarily the provision of electricity, and telephonic and Internet services. I want to encourage our community to become involved in the fight against electricity cable theft by reporting those responsible for it.”
The Municipality is offering a reward of up to R5 000 to anyone who provides credible information that can lead to the successful arrest and conviction of suspects involved in any criminal offence against the Municipality.
The Municipality urges Drakenstein’s residents to report any suspicious activity relating to cable theft to its 24/7 control room at 021 807 8508, or to SAPS. Anonymous tip-offs are also welcomed and can be sent to the Municipality at 021 807 8508 or 080 131 3553 toll free.
[END]
Issued by: Communication and Marketing, Drakenstein Municipality
