Lengthy prison sentences have been imposed on criminals who targeted critical infrastructure in the Free State, with police saying the convictions send a strong warning to organised syndicates and opportunistic thieves involved in cable theft.
In one case, a 23-year-old man was sentenced to 18 years’ direct imprisonment after he was caught attempting to dig up railway cables along the line between Edenburg and Trompsburg. Edenburg is located about 84km from the Free State capital of Bloemfontein.
The incident occurred late at night on 10 July 2024, when security officers conducting a routine foot patrol along the railway line heard voices in the darkness. Upon investigating, they discovered three men wrapped in blankets digging into the ground in an apparent attempt to expose cables belonging to Transnet.
When confronted, the suspects fled the scene. However, after a brief chase, one of the men, Teboho Letoane, was apprehended and handed over to Police in Trompsburg. Officers also recovered tools believed to have been used in the attempted theft, including a spade, pick and carpet knife.
The investigation, led by Sergeant Vivian Manko, later resulted in the arrest of two additional suspects linked to the incident.
When the matter came before court, Letoane was convicted of damaging essential infrastructure and attempting to steal the cables. He was subsequently sentenced to 18 years’ direct imprisonment. The two other accused were acquitted of the theft charges, but were found to be in South Africa illegally. They were handed over to immigration authorities for deportation.
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In a separate incident, police patrols in the Batho area of Bloemfontein prevented another cable theft that could have left sections of the community without electricity.
At around 03:00 on 12 September last year, officers on patrol noticed that streetlights suddenly went out as they entered Fort Hare Street. Suspecting interference at a nearby electricity substation, the officers rushed to the facility, where they intercepted two suspects as they were leaving the premises.
The men were found carrying school bags filled with copper cables belonging to Centlec that had allegedly been stolen from the substation.
Detective Sergeant Thobeka Mtsha was the investigating officer. Following the investigation, Thabo Mofo (29) and Thabang Leeuw (24) were convicted of damaging and stealing infrastructure and were each sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment.
“Protecting our infrastructure is protecting our economy and the safety of our citizens,” says Acting Free State Provincial Police Commissioner Maj Gen. Apaphia Modise.
