SASOLBURG – The Sasolburg Regional Court sentenced a security guard, Zakaria Sekgoane Tamane (56), to a minimum of three years’ direct imprisonment for his role in brazen theft of copper cable worth R2 million.
The sentence handed on Friday 30 January was the culmination of ongoing full-scale investigations by the Welkom Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Tamane pleaded guilty. He was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances. The sentencing was about copper cable theft. This occurred at a warehouse in the Naledi Industrial Park in Sasolburg during November 2024.
“Two security guards on duty at the ERD Warehouse were attacked by seven suspects wearing balaclavas. The guards were restrained with cables and locked inside a storeroom. Then the suspects drove a truck into the warehouse and stole three drums of copper cable valued at approximately R1.9 million,” said Matoti.
She said multiple surveillance cameras fitted at the warehouse aided the investigators to make a break through.
“As part of the investigation process, polygraph tests were conducted on all security guards. One guard failed the test and subsequently made a written confession. The guard later failed to report for duty,” said Matoti. She said the Hawks team later traced and arrested Tamane in Welkom. Matoti said the accused was remanded in custody for the duration of the trial as he was denied bail.
“The investigations are continuing regarding involvement of other suspects,” said Matoti.
