Community, police discover syndicate, recover tons of stolen cable

Thanks to the help of community members, police recovered more than two tonnes of stolen cable in Klerksoord in Pretoria North this weekend. An arrest was also made.

This was confirmed by community leader and DA activist Mickey van der Westhuizen.

“On Sunday morning I attended a neighborhood meeting in Klerksoord where residents expressed their grievances about the lack of services in their neighborhood. They raised concerns about overgrown grass and non-functional street lighting, both of which have contributed to an escalation in crime. The main reason for their meeting was the prolonged power outage that had lasted since the previous day,” said Van der Westhuizen.

He said later in the day the Tshwane team arrived and, accompanied by residents, repaired the fault.

“During this inspection they discovered illegal connections and a disturbing sight: stripped cables belonging to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa in the Ventrinice settlement,” he said.

A resident who had previously met Van der Westhuizen contacted him to report the find and requested his presence to support the community and understand their frustrations.

Van der Westhuizen, residents and Akasia police entered the informal settlement together.

The group discovered a syndicate involved in cable theft and illegal sales of liquor and drugs.

He said a significant amount of stolen copper subway cables had been recovered, along with illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco products.

“They identified the arrested suspect as the alleged kingpin behind these criminal activities. We also found tools that are often used in cable theft, including bolt cutters, burners and saws,” says Van der Westhuizen.

“This joint effort underscored the importance of community and law enforcement involvement in addressing local issues.”

Tshwane metro DA leader Cilliers Brink welcomed the community action and response from police and DA community leaders and activists that led to the recovery.

Brink said he met with Van der Westuizen on October 28 to convey his gratitude to the Klerscord community and the police for their quick action.

“The incident underscores not only the importance of community involvement in policing, but also what a whole-of-society approach can do for addressing issues facing communities,” Brink said. “By working together to fight crime and serve communities, government and community organizations can achieve far more than any one government can achieve alone.”

– Click here to watch a video of the bust in Klerksoord

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