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Calcutta Court Sentences Woman for Possession of Stolen Eskom Cables in Mpumalanga

Published November 26, 2024
2 months ago

In a decisive legal proceeding, the Calcutta Regional Court in Mpumalanga handed down a sentence to Nombango Claudia Mogiba on Thursday, 21 November 2024, for the possession of suspected stolen property, specifically Eskom aluminium and copper cables. The court's decision concluded a series of events that began with Mogiba's arrest in late January of the same year.





The arrest was the result of a collaborated effort by several law enforcement bodies, including the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Nelspruit-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, Combined Private Investigators, and the Calcutta South African Police Service. The operation was sparked by actionable intelligence which led the team to Mogiba’s residence in the Calcutta-Mkhuhlu area on 28 January 2024.


Upon executing their search warrant, authorities discovered not only rolls of Eskom cables adjacent to Mogiba's residence but also a large cache of aluminium pots, believed to have been produced by melting down stolen cables. The items had an estimated combined value of R30,800.


Despite the evidence found, Mogiba was initially granted bail after her first court appearance on 29 January 2024. Throughout the year, she appeared in court several times leading up to her conviction on 28 October 2024. Eventually, on 21 November, she received her sentence: a choice between a R10,000 fine or a suspended 5-year prison sentence.


The sentence, however, has sparked debate amongst officials. Major General Gerber, the Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, criticized the court's decision for its leniency, arguing that it does not correspond to the severity of the crimes involving the theft of vital infrastructure. He emphasized that such thefts are not just a loss of materials but also critically undermine services essential for community welfare and economic growth. General Gerber's concern reflects a broader issue facing South Africa, where infrastructure theft, particularly of copper and aluminium cables, has become rampant, causing extensive disruptions and economic losses.


This case casts a spotlight on the ongoing struggle against infrastructure theft in South Africa and raises questions about the adequacy of current legal penalties in deterring such crimes. As thefts continue to affect various sectors, there is a growing call for reassessment of judicial approaches towards crimes involving the theft of critical infrastructure.


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