Durban - Two men were sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for trying to steal electricity cables at a substation in Pietermaritzburg.
On Wednesday, a Pietermaritzburg court sentenced Xolani Mbeje and Mzwandile Mnyaka, to 18 months’ imprisonment each for trying to steal electricity cables at the substation .
KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka welcomed the sentencing and said the fight against criminal elements that were hell-bent on vandalising and stripping critical municipal infrastructure that provided electricity and water to communities had received a major boost.
“The two men were found guilty of breaking into the vicinity of the Piet Retief electricity substation, to vandalise and steal electricity cables,” Hlomuka said.
He said the substation provided electricity to hundreds of houses as well as the business and manufacturing sectors in the Mkondeni and Willowton Road areas in Pietermaritzburg.
The MEC said while government institutions worked hard to provide services, criminal elements were hell-bent on reversing this work, which negatively impacted the lives of citizens.
“The sentence sends a warning to criminals and syndicates that are attacking critical public infrastructure that the courts and law enforcement will do everything in their power to ensure that swift justice is handed out to those who are responsible,” Hlomuka said.
“We wish to commend the law enforcement agencies and the council of the Msunduzi Local Municipality, which is led by the mayor, councillor Mzimkhulu Thebolla, for the measures that were put in place to safeguard this substation, as it was these measures that provided an early warning.”
Hlomuka said in their budget policy speech for the year 2022/23, they indicated they would be transferring R16 million to the Msunduzi Local Municipality as part of support measures aimed at stabilising the electricity supply. Last year the department transferred R9m as part of these efforts, which bring the total investment by the department to R25m. This is part of the overall support that the department has been providing to the municipality.
“We call upon all our municipalities to strengthen measures aimed at preventing the vandalism and theft of critical public infrastructure,” Hlomuka said.
“We also call upon communities to report any suspicious activities they might notice near critical installations such as substations and water reservoirs.”
Daily News