The organised criminal network dealing in copper and electrical fittings and the like continues to vandalise infrastructure in Bloemfontein and capitalising on blackouts due to load shedding countrywide.
Centlec, the Mangaung Metro Municipality’s power distributor, laments the crime that cripples its ability to provide a service, as well as the financial impact it suffers due to this.
Taking its toll is the seeming inability of the criminal justice system to effectively deal with syndicates. The number of unresolved cases continue to grow.
Lele Mamatu, Centlec spokesperson, said rampant crime remained a big challenge.
“A total of 88 incidents of theft and vandalism to our electrical infrastructure were reported for the period of 1 January 2021 to 30 July 2022,” said Mamatu.
“In these cases, 31 suspects have been arrested, with merely two convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison.”
He said according to feedback, all the arrested suspects were still in prison and on trial.
“One case was closed, but will be reopened should additional information be received.”
Public-private entities in the greater Bloemfontein are exploring means of tightening the net around cable and copper syndicates, as the vandalism of infrastructure in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo lead to the interruption of electricity supply and poses danger to human life.
Concerns about the inability of the criminal justice system to deal with syndicates was highlighted by various entities at a consultative meeting that was held at the headquarters of Centlec in Bloemfontein in August last year.
The syndicates target essential infrastructure belonging to private-public entities such as Centlec, MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, Cell C, Eskom, Transnet and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
Malefane Sekoboto, Centlec’s chief executive officer, substantiated the criminal justice system’s difficulty.
He revealed that of the more than 210 cases opened, only three cases had been finalised in court for the period of 2019 to 2022, before April last year.
According to Sekoboto, the period in question cost the entity approximately R1,87 million when it came to replacing stolen copper cables and repairing damaged infrastructure.
Thieves who continue to vandalise infrastructure target electrical junction boxes situated on street corners in the city whenever the opportunity arises with ongoing load shedding.
