The man arrested for operating an unlicensed scrapyard in Thaba Nchu and illicit copper trade is set to appear in the Selosesha Magistrates` Court for a pretrial hearing on 22 August. The suspect Paul Alexander Chauke (24) is facing charges relating to tempering with essential infrastructure.
This follows his arrested earlier last month during a crackdown operation conducted by multidisciplinary law enforcement agencies. The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit in Bloemfontein is investigating the case against Chauke, who is out on bail.
Lt Col. Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said the suspect was arrested at his house in Zone 4, Thaba Nchu, where copper estimated to be worth R55 000 was discovered. He said preliminary investigations reveal the scrapyard was illegal and the previous owner’s license expired a long time ago, thus Chauke was not entitled to continue using the expired license to operate.
Further investigations revealed that Chauke was arrested earlier this year for being in possession of copper worth roughly R14 000. The first matter is pending investigation after it was provisionally withdrawn for further investigation.
Centlec has stated that some of the cable material discovered at Chauke’s scrapyard was positively identified as its property. The entity lamented the ongoing spate of theft and vandalism by organised syndicates who harvest copper and cables has amounted to R1,2 million. These incidents were for the period of June and July in Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu. The entity said about R1,87 million was spent last year for repairs and the replacement of vandalised infrastructure for the period of April 2019 to March 2022.
Organised syndicates continue to capitalise on prolonged rolling blackout sessions to vandalise infrastructure and harvest copper cables to sell at various scrap dealers.
