On 1 September, 21 suspects were apprehended at a Transnet depot in Swartkops, Gqeberha, after security personnel spotted intruders and alerted the South African Police Service (SAPS). The suspects were found hiding on the premises with bags containing copper bus bars, transformers, electrical switches, and cables—items collectively valued at approximately R350,000.

In a separate incident on 3 September, a multidisciplinary police team recovered copper cable worth an estimated R3 million at an unregistered scrapyard in De Deur, Gauteng. Five suspects were arrested at the scene.

Officers also seized homemade stoves allegedly used to burn insulation off the copper. Preliminary investigations confirmed the cable originated from Transnet infrastructure.

The five suspects are expected to appear before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on charges including possession of stolen infrastructure, unlicensed dealing in second-hand goods, and contravention of the Immigration Act.

Transnet Group Chief Executive Michelle Phillips praised the arrests, citing them as evidence of growing success in efforts to dismantle criminal syndicates targeting essential infrastructure.

“Our work is beginning to make serious inroads,” she said, “and we will continue to focus on fighting crimes responsible for the destruction of our essential infrastructure.”

Separately, three individuals were convicted and sentenced by the Molteno Regional Court in the Eastern Cape on 27 August for copper cable theft, possession of stolen copper, and immigration violations. The case stemmed from a December 2021 intelligence-led operation in the Stormberg area, where police intercepted vehicles transporting stolen copper cable.

Each of the three convicts received 15-year prison sentences for theft and possession, plus an additional three months for breaching immigration laws. The investigation was led by the Komani-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks.

Transnet acknowledged the role of SAPS, the National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, Eskom, PRASA, and other state entities in securing these outcomes.

Written by Africa Ports & Ships and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.

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“The scary thing is that for all the confiscated items, thousands of kilograms more made it to bucket shops and unscrupulous scrap dealers, and so fuelling a number of illicit trades. The MTU has also recorded a marked increase in complaints attended to, compared to the previous year. It is a sign that the theft and vandalism of infrastructure remains rampant, but also that more people are reporting it,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

The MTU recorded a slight downturn in arrests year on year, but they increased proactive hotspot patrols by nearly 25% which served as a deterrent, and also responded to 43% more complaints.

Metal confiscations weighed in at 1 839.41 kilograms, while the amount of confiscated cable clocked 54 kilometres, which is the distance between the Civic Centre in the Cape Town CBD and the foot of Sir Lowry’s Pass.

“The scale of the destruction becomes more evident when you consider exactly how much infrastructure we’re losing and replacing, only to be lost again and again. This is not nickel and dime stuff, but economic sabotage, and we need to start treating it that way with swift prosecutions and heavy sentences. Metal theft is on the long list of priorities that we hope to tackle through our cooperation agreement with SAPS and the Western Cape Government. In addition, we will continue to use tools like our CCTV network, Eye in the Sky and infrared technology to tackle metal theft, but also continue to invest in training and inter-agency collaboration,” added Smith.

In August, staff members from the City’s enforcement agencies joined the SAPS and National Prosecuting Authority for a joint two-day training intervention on essential infrastructure crime.

Residents can report crime and by-law offences anonymously, 24-hours a day, on 0800 110077.

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