The arrest of three men allegedly transporting suspected stolen copper cable has shone a spotlight on a deepening infrastructure crime crisis in the Moqhaka Municipality, where relentless cable theft is crippling electricity supply, draining municipal resources and leaving residents and businesses at the mercy of recurring blackouts.
Across Kroonstad, Maokeng, Steynsrus, Viljoenskroon and neighbouring areas, residents are waking up to dark homes, silent businesses, and disrupted services as stolen copper cables cripple parts of the municipality’s power network. Each theft leaves municipal repair teams racing to restore electricity, while the financial burden of replacing stolen infrastructure continues to mount.
Accountability and action demanded
The DA has warned that the situation has reached a critical stage, calling for urgent accountability and stronger action to protect public infrastructure.
Cllr Dennis Khasudi of the DA says the party will seek a full report from the municipality detailing the number of cable theft incidents recorded over the past year, the cost to ratepayers, the effectiveness of existing security measures and plans to prevent further attacks. The party argues that recurring thefts reveal weaknesses in the protection of key municipal assets.
It has called for increased patrols around substations, enhanced surveillance systems, stronger partnerships with law enforcement agencies, and decisive action against illegal scrap metal operations that may be fuelling the trade in stolen copper.
Breakthrough to curb infrastructure-related crime
While residents continue to endure the consequences of repeated outages, police have made what authorities describe as a significant breakthrough in the fight against infrastructure-related crime.
On Friday 5 June, the police launched an operation after receiving information that a white Mazda travelling from Steynsrus towards Kroonstad was allegedly transporting stolen copper cable. The vehicle was intercepted at approximately 08:00 and searched by officers.
Inside, 41 kg of copper cable with an estimated value of R7 800 was found. Three men, aged between 40 and 41, were arrested and the cable was seized as evidence.
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The suspects face charges relating to the tampering, damage or destruction of essential infrastructure, as well as possession of suspected stolen property. Investigators are now working to determine where the cable originated from and whether it can be linked to recent incidents that have left parts of Moqhaka without electricity.
Arrests a ‘small victory in a much larger battle’
Although the arrests have been welcomed, they represent only a small victory in a much larger battle. Cable theft has become one of the most destructive forms of organised crime affecting municipalities, disrupting electricity supply, damaging public infrastructure and draining millions of rands from already strained municipal budgets.
Sgt Josephine Rani, police spokesperson, confirmed that investigations were continuing and urged residents to report suspicious activity involving copper cable or municipal infrastructure. She emphasised that information from the public remained one of the most effective tools in identifying those responsible for crimes that threaten service delivery and economic stability.
