The fire that broke down in Eskom Thuthuka Power Station in Standerton led to the arrest of five suspects who were caught red handed, digging up and skinning copper cables valued at about R3200 on 29 November 2022 at about 00:50.
On that day, the security personnel on duty received a call regarding a fire that broke out in the utility and all role players were activated. A total of five suspects were caught in the act digging up and skinning copper cables.
The suspects, Mokhele Mokhele (21), Tshwarelo Moloi (32), Makato Motsepa (41), Machabe Nkhere (27) and Johannes Twala (57) were arrested then denied bail from their first day in court until their fate was decided on 27 September 2023.
Mokhele was sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment whilst Moloi, Motsepa, Nkhere and Twala were each sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment for the damage to essential infrastructure.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has indicated that the sentence handed down to the five will hopefully serve as a deterrence to others who might consider engaging in similar offences of damaging to the country’s essential infrastructure.
Content retrieved from: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=48706.
