Image Source: The Star
Local – R3 million worth of stolen copper cable was recovered when Transnet security and law enforcement arrested five suspects at an unregistered scrapyard in Gauteng.
The breakthrough followed an intelligence-driven operation by a multidisciplinary team, which led officers to a scrapyard in De Deur.
At the site, large quantities of copper cable were found along with homemade stoves, allegedly used to burn the metal. Preliminary investigations confirmed that the copper belonged to Transnet.
The five suspects will soon appear before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on charges including possession of stolen infrastructure, dealing in second-hand goods without a licence, and contravening the Immigration Act.
Transnet Group Chief Executive Michelle Phillips applauded the arrests, calling them proof that collaboration is delivering results.
“Our work is beginning to make serious inroads in dismantling the destructive criminal syndicates targeting essential infrastructure. We will continue to focus on fighting crimes which are responsible for the destruction of our essential infrastructure,” Phillips said on Thursday.
Multiple Suspects Arrested in Gqeberha
In a separate case, 21 suspects were arrested on Monday at a Transnet depot in Swartkops, Gqeberha, after being linked to the theft of critical infrastructure valued at around R350 000.
They were found with several bags filled with copper bus bars, transformers, electrical switches, and cables.
According to reports, Transnet security raised the alarm when trespassers were spotted on the depot premises, prompting the swift intervention of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Meanwhile, Transnet welcomed the conviction and sentencing of three copper theft criminals.
The Molteno Regional Court in the Eastern Cape sentenced them on 27 August 2025 for theft of copper cables, possession of stolen copper, and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The case was tied to a December 2021 incident in the Stormberg area when police and Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) security intercepted vehicles transporting stolen copper.
Each suspect received 15 years’ imprisonment for theft and possession, plus an additional three months for the immigration offence.
Transnet said these outcomes highlight the impact of coordination with SAPS, the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), State Security Agency (SSA), Eskom, PRASA, and the Department of Justice.
