Durban -
About R1.8 million worth of copper cables belonging to the eThekwini Municipality has been found in the garage of a Chatsworth home, police said on Thursday.
Three men will appear in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court on Friday in connection with the find.
Police claimed the men were stripping the cables to get to the copper inside, in Leo Avenue, Woodhurst.
“A search of the premises resulted in the discovery of tons of copper cables stored in a garage.
“It was established that the copper cables belonged to the eThekwini Municipality,” police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, said.
The cables were found by the Durban Flying Squad Narcotics Task Team.
eThekwini spokeswoman, Tozi Mthethwa, confirmed that the cables did belong to the municipality.
“The suspects have been charged for being in possession of suspected stolen property and also in terms of the Terrorist (and Related) Activities Act,” she said.
“Acts of vandalism taking place in our communities cannot be addressed by the municipality and police alone. They require vigilance from us as community members and we must not look away when we know that our relatives, neighbours and friends are involved in these illicit activities.”
Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, said that when cables were stolen, many areas are plunged into darkness and they lose telephonic contact with relatives, businesses and even emergency services.
Daily News