They were previously denied bail when they appeared in the same court, on Friday, September 9.
The accused were arrested on September 7, when police officers caught them in the act of stealing power cables along St Anthony’s Road, Reiger Park, at about 4am.
Angered by the arrests of the 12 community members, a strong mob from the Joe Slovo informal settlement staged a violent protest in Reiger Park on the Wednesday afternoon.
Police had to take cover when the crowd pelted the police station with stones, while demanding the immediate release of the alleged cable thieves.
According to Reiger Park SAPS spokesperson Sgt Mashudu Phathela, the attack, described by other police officers as ”anarchy”, saw around 100 people from the informal settlement, a stone’s throw away, storming the police station and demanding that the arrested suspects be released immediately.
The police tried to explain to the community members that the suspects were due to appear in court, and that they would have to await the court’s decision.
The community then reacted angrily, pelting the police station with stones and damaging one state vehicle and a member’s car parked at the station, before fleeing the scene.
No police members were injured and an investigation into the incident continues.
Reiger Park residents experience power outages on a regular basis, due to power cable thefts – and the arrests were seen as a step in the right direction in addressing the problem.
Police believe that the 12 are behind the many recent thefts of electricity cables, that led to power outages in the township.
Phathela previously told this publication that he was outraged over these incidents, adding that it is very sad when members of the community attack officers who are officially given the mandate to uphold and enforce the law.
In a bid to protect our infrastructure against criminals, President Jacob Zuma signed the Criminal Matters Amendment Act, 2015, into law, according to a statement issued by the Presidency.
“The Act amends the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977. The amendments provide for changes to the law pertaining to infrastructure-related offences by making stricter provisions for the granting of bail, the sentencing of offenders and creating a new offence to criminalise damage to, tampering with or destruction of essential infrastructure, which may interfere with the provision of basic services to the public,” said Presidency spokesperson Bongani Majola in a statement.
The Act also aims to create a new offence relating to the essential infrastructure, as well as to amend the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 1998, so as to insert a new offence in Schedule 1 of the Act and to provide for matters connected therewith.
The 12 are expected to retrun to court on October 4.-@FanieFLK
Work starts to address city’s power outages
An open letter to metro regarding Boksburg South power outages
ALERT: Power outages in Boksburg
