With the theft of copper on the rise in Drakenstein, the police last week arrested a man in Simondium.
The suspect, Melubakho Mngese, appeared in court on Friday 15 July and was released on R1 000 bail.
According to police spokesperson, Captain Louise du Plessis, Mngese was arrested for the possession of copper cables, which was found in his business premises.
“The non-ferrous team of the Winelands Cluster visited numerous ‘bucket shops’ in the area when they found two buckets of copper cables at Mngese’s business premises. He is to reappear in court on 2 August,” Du Plessis said.
According to Drakenstein Municipality their Cable Theft Task team received information of an illegal ‘bucket shop’ in the Simondium area. The Municipality said their Economic Infrastructure Theft Task Team, the Municipality’s Law Enforcement division and the Cable Theft Task Team, conducted a joint crime prevention operation with the South African Police Service on Thursday 14 July.
“The information received led to the successful arrest of a suspect who was in possession of an undisclosed amount of copper cables,” the Municipality said.
On numerous occasions Paarl Post reported on the crippling effect the theft of copper has on not only the Municipality’s infrastructure and finances, but it also creates an unnecessary financial burden on residents who too suffer at the hands of copper thieves.
Last year, over a 10-month period, damage caused by cable theft cost the municipality more than R2 million.
To help curb copper theft in Drakenstein the Municipality set up a Cable Theft Task Team and a Economic Infrastructure Theft Task Team.
The Municipality encourages residents to report all electrical cable and municipal infrastructure theft to their 24/7 Central Operations Centre on 021 807 8508 or 080 131 3553 toll free. Information on illegal scrapyards and illegal activities at scrapyards can also be reported.
The Municipality offers a reward of up to R5 000 for information that can lead to the successful arrest of anyone making themselves guilty of electrical cable and municipal infrastructure theft and vandalism.
