Conviction in Cable Theft Case

On 26 May 2024, during the early hours of the morning, two security officers were on duty at the Eskom substation in Aston Lake, Springs, when they were confronted by three unknown African males.

The suspects allegedly entered the guard room, tied up the security officers and robbed them of their personal belongings. The suspects then proceeded to cut and steal cable from the substation valued at approximately R103 000-00 before fleeing the scene.

The victims managed to free themselves and immediately notified the police.

Upon arrival at the scene, police noticed footprints which were preserved as part of the investigation. Through a tireless investigation, police managed to identify and arrest one of the suspects, Nkosinathi Ncube (34), a Zimbabwean national.

During the investigation, boots found at the suspect’s place of residence were seized by Sgt Raymond Mogashoa and subsequently compared with the footprints found at the crime scene, linking the suspect to the crime.

The suspect was also arrested for attempting to bribe the investigating officer from Eskom in an effort to influence the investigation.

The accused appeared in court and he was denied bail. He was sentenced to 5 years for bribery, 12 years for tempering with essential infrastructure and 3 months for contravening the immigration act. The sentence will run concurrently.

10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR MONEY LAUNDERING

On September 2025, an African male victim, aged 41, parked his vehicle in front of a shop in Dalfoche, Springs. As he alighted from his vehicle, two suspects approached him at gunpoint and ordered him back into his vehicle.

The suspects took the victim’s cellphones and forced him to provide his cellphone password. They accessed his banking App and transferred an amount of R61 000-00 into another bank account.

Through a thorough investigation by Sgt Raymond Mogashoa, one of the suspects, Thabiso Sniper Makeke (24) was arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

The suspect appeared before court and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment.

The successful investigation and convictions demonstrate the commitment of the South African Police Service to ensure that perpetrators of serious and financially motivated crimes are brought to justice.