Two Mozambican nationals who are also in the country illegally have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for cable theft.
Joel Kabene and July Sithole were arrested on December 15 2020 after they were found by the members of combined private investigations cutting copper cables belonging to Telkom. The cables were worth R10 000.
It is estimated that cable theft costs the local economy between R5-billion and R7-billion a year. For this reason, the offence is considered a priority crime.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the two pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“They were also sentenced to two years imprisonment for being in the country illegally. The magistrate ordered that the sentences should run concurrently. They were also declared unfit to possess a firearm.”
The NPA has welcomed the sentence and said it will go a long way to bring economic saboteurs to book.
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