Durban — Police are investigating a case of tampering with essential infrastructure when they found a vehicle suspected of being used in the recent spate of copper cable thefts loaded with more than 300kg of electrical copper cable.
ET Rapid Response managing director Tony Lokker said that on Monday, after receiving information from their informer network, and in close collaboration with Amanzimtoti SAPS crime prevention unit, ET Rapid Response members went in search of a vehicle suspected to be used in the recent spate of copper cable thefts in the area.
“The vehicle was spotted, whereby the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. SAPS were notified as well as the investigators from the eThekwini Infrastructure theft unit. The boot of the vehicle was found to contain over 300kg of electrical copper cable,” Lokker said.
He said it appeared as though the cable was taken in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the Winklespruit area.
“This is a big breakthrough in the copper theft syndicates operating in the south area,” Lokker said.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that Amanzimtoti police are investigating a case of tampering with essential infrastructure following an incident where copper cables were recovered on May 30, 2023, at Illovo North.
“It is alleged that an abandoned vehicle was found with copper cables and was duly impounded. No arrests have been made,” Netshiunda said.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, on May 8, 2023, the Durban Regional Court sentenced two former police officials, Sergeant Zwelihle Mngadi, 46, and Sergeant Luvuyo Mbixane, 43, and their civilian accomplice, Mandla Mgaga, 31. They were sentenced for a case of damage to essential infrastructure.
Hawks KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said that Mngadi, Mbixane and Mgaga appeared in court several times until they were convicted in December last year. Mngadi and Mbixane were sentenced to 15 years of direct imprisonment and Mgaga was sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment.
Mhlongo said that on June 18, 2021, members from Umkomaas Task Team were working at Umlazi township when they noticed a marked police van and a white bakkie parked on the side of the road. They approached the vehicles and noticed that there was a tow truck pulling out a copper cable.
He said that members confronted the accused and identified themselves as police officials. They established that the accused were stealing the copper cable and it was positively identified by Telkom. The three were placed under arrest and charged accordingly.
Mhlongo said that the case docket was allocated to the Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation for intensive investigation. The accused appeared in court and they were released on bail.
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