JOHANNESBURG – City Power and law enforcement authorities have dealt another fatal blow to cable theft syndicates after two suspects were apprehended in possession of 135 kilograms of stolen copper cables reported Hloni Motloung from City Power.
The City Power Security and Risk Department received an anonymous tip-off about suspicious activity at a scrap metal dealer involving the suspects loading copper and mixed brass into a white closed truck. The Security and Risk Department called The South African Police Services (SAPS) for back-up and the suspects’ car was detained before it left the premises.
Off-cuts of 185mm copper cable and OHL were recovered on the back of the bakkie. The manager of the scrapyard and a driver were arrested and charged for theft and possession of stolen property.
The scrap metal dealer has subsequently been shut down on account of buying stolen copper cables and not recording the recovered copper in their register. The SAPS confiscated the scale, operational license and register for further investigation. The owner of the scrap dealer offered a R10 000 bribe which was rejected, and a case of bribery has been opened against him.
Sicelo Xulu, City Power Managing Director, says he is encouraged by this breakthrough. “We are pleased with the breakthrough we are making in our efforts to break the backs of these syndicates. We appeal to our consumers and to scrap metal dealers to report any suspicious activity they might witness or any unaccounted for equipment that is being sold at their premises. The fight against cable theft is not solely our fight, but cable theft is a cancer that eats away at the economic fibre of our society, it negatively impacts on steady electricity supply which affects our business, our economy and leads to job losses,” says Xulu.
The latest bust follows hot on the heels of an arrest of a truck ferrying 40 tonnes of cables worth R5 million earlier this month.
