South Africa jails two Zim cable thieves for 20 years each
By Staff Reporter
Two Zimbabwean men have been jailed 20 years each for the crime of cutting and stealing rail line cables in Limpopo province, South Africa and also violating the neighbouring country’s immigration laws.
Colin Mlambo (35) and Andile Alfonso Ndlovu (19) were charged for tampering with essential infrastructure.
For the crime, the two were each sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
They were also jailed two years each for contravening the Immigration Act.
During trial, prosecutors told the court that on 7 July 2021, the two were apprehended with the loot by members of Isidingo Security Company who had responded to a theft call involving Transnet copper cables at Kilkenny train station at Northam.
“They proceeded to the scene and found that 100 metres of Transnet overhead cable was cut and stolen,” Limpopo provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said.
“They (security guards) started searching for suspects and in the early hours of the morning, they spotted a vehicle next to the crime scene. They immediately approached the vehicle and the driver and one of the passengers fled from the scene.”
The security guards searched the vehicle and found cut rail lines cables which were confirmed to have been stolen from Kilkenny train station.
“Both accused (men) pleaded not guilty to the charges,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, which means the two Zimbabwean nationals will each serve an effective term of 20 years.
