Neo Kalakgosi (21), Keketso Motobatsi (28), Lehlohonolo Kalakgosi (29), Makhabane Lejapodi (30), Mojaki Kalakgosi (36) and Bothata Paoane (40) all appeared in Dewetsdorp Magistrate Court on 22 May 2023, for tampering with and damaging essential infrastructure and possession of stolen copper cable with an estimated value of R500 000-00.
A team of detectives and Visible Policing Unit members from Dewetsdorp followed up on information and stopped the identified target vehicle, a white Volkswagen Jetta, on R702 Road.
One suspect was arrested in possession of presumably stolen copper cables.
Preliminary investigation led the team to recover more cables hidden in mountains outside Dewetsdorp and the arrest of five other suspects.
Further investigation indicated that the cable was stolen at the sewage plant and belongs to Centlec.
The six suspects will appear again in the Dewetsdorp Magistrate Court on Wednesday 24 May 2023.
In a separate incident, Lovemore Masukame (25) was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for theft of ferrous or non-ferrous metals forming part of essential infrastructure by Bloemfontein Magistrate Court.
Lovemore was arrested by members of Navalsig in possession of copper cable weighing 12 750 kilograms, with a replacement value estimated at R268 724-00. The vehicle in which Lovemore was traveling, a white Nissan NP300, was stopped on N6 outside Bloemfontein and the cable that was later identified as Transnet property was then recovered.
