4 Matjhabeng municipal workers bust with stolen mine ‘copper cable’

As theft cases of copper cable are raising an alarm in the Free State Province at large, public entities and private institutions are losing out massively due to destruction of infrastructure.

For organs of state, this results in a service delivery backlog, where delivery of services is hold to ransom by those who disobey the law, including municipal officials.

On Thursday, June 9, the Welkom police received a tip-off over theft of copper cable from President Steyn Mine, number four shaft.

Lejweleputswa police spokesperson Stephen Thakeng revealed that, police officers swiftly responded to the call and conducted a way-lay at the dumping site of Welkom, where suspects, who are foreign nationals were busted with stolen cable.

“Two vehicles were stopped, occupants jumped from the vehicles and ran away.

“Members gave chase and three suspects aged 28 and 33-years-old including a foreign national taxi driver (48) were arrested between the slime dams of President Steyn,” Thakeng said.

“One of the arrested was wanted for several cases that involved destruction of infrastructure within Matjhabeng,” Thakeng said.

It is reported that alliance partners of SAPS, the crime intelligence unit, and the mine security discovered large quantity of copper cable belonging to the mine during the search operation.

“A large quantity of copper cables belonging to the mine were found inside the two vehicles – a white Toyota Corolla with FS number plates and a white Volkswagen Polo with Free State number plates,” revealed Thakeng.

The two vehicles and copper cables were seized.

While the police together with the crime intelligence further continued with the search hunt of masterminds behind this illegal activity, four employees at Matjhabeng municipality were busted after found in a waste compactor truck carrying stolen copper cable.

“Officers were busy at the scene when a truck delivering trash was stopped, then the mine properties were also found from a truck collecting trash.

“Four employees were arrested and will also face possession of suspected stolen property,” Thakeng said.

All suspects will appear before the Welkom Magistrate Court.

Lejweleputswa district commissioner, general Lerato Molale applauded stellar work by the police to arrest all parties involved in the copper cable theft syndicate.

“We applaud a joint operation which led to these arrests of foreigners destroying the infrastructure and also Municipality workers.

“We regard these arrests and seizures as a breakthrough and it’s clear we are on the right track in terms of our strategy to reduce crime relating to the destruction of the infrastructure,” Molale said.