Three nabbed, R1.2 million cable seized
In Alberton, three suspects got caught red-handed on Tuesday, 13 February 2024, with a truck packed full of stolen electrical cables valued at around R1.2 million.
The Anti-Cable Theft Task Team of the City, along with a private security company, intercepted the truck just before it left Alberton with the loot from the city’s stores.
“One of the suspects is an employee who works as a clerk at Alberton stores. This is a big blow because we trust our employees to safeguard municipal infrastructure,” explained Zweli Dlamini, spokesperson for the city.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the employee forged documents to get the cable released from the stores,” Dlamini added.
Cable theft poses a significant challenge for the city, with millions spent annually on security measures to protect infrastructure and on replacing stolen cables.
The City of Ekurhuleni suffers losses exceeding R90 million each year due to cable theft.
The trio will soon face court proceedings, while the municipal employee will undergo an internal disciplinary hearing.
