Cape Town – A 34-year-old Eastern Cape man appeared in the Queenstown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after he was found in possession of copper cables worth R600 000.
Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), said the arrest was part of a joint venture.
She said the Queenstown Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team alongside Queenstown Crime Intelligence, Transnet, Isidingo Security, Red Guard Security and Queenstown Community Service Centre arrested the suspect on a charge of suspected stolen property and damage to essential infrastructure on Wednesday.
Mgolodela said at about 3am, information was received about a Toyota Hilux on its way to Cathcart from Queenstown, fully laden with copper cables.
“The joint team responded swiftly and embarked on an intelligence-driven operation where they stopped and searched the target vehicle near Queenstown’s Total garage.
“It is further reported that 19 rolls of copper cables with a street value of R600 000 were recovered,” she said.
The vehicle and two cell phones were also confiscated and seized during the arrest.
In an unrelated incident, the wife of a slain police officer will be applying for bail after she appeared in the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Thami Nomalashe, 34, has been implicated in the brutal murder of her husband, Warrant Officer Kolile Kulu.
According to Mgolodela, Nomalashe was arrested on Wednesday.
“It is alleged that on August 30, 2021 at 10pm, while Warrant Officer Kolile Kulu was asleep at his home, he was killed by three unknown males who are reported to have also taken his official firearm.
“All three purported hitmen and another two alleged to have been involved are under arrest.
“The wife of the deceased was arrested and charged for the murder and detained in one of the East London’s police stations,” Mgolodela said.
The case has been postponed until October 13.