Durban — Four foreign nationals have appeared in court on charges of tampering with essential infrastructure.
The men, aged between 27 and 42, were arrested when members of the Economic Infrastructure Task Team (EITT) conducted an operation in uMlazi, south of Durban.
Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said: “The team recovered cable fibre and electric cables with an estimated value of R250 000.”
She said that police were patrolling along Sibusiso Mdakane Road when they spotted a vehicle off-loading suspicious-looking property.
“As they were approaching the vehicle in order to investigate, police noticed four men peeling off cables,” Ngcobo said.
She said that the four suspects were immediately arrested for being in possession of suspected stolen goods.
“The suspects appeared at the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, January 25. They were remanded in custody and will be back in the dock on February 1,” Ngcobo said.
Meanwhile, three men were arrested with suspected stolen copper cables on Tuesday afternoon.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that the EITT conducted an operation at Newlands East on Tuesday afternoon. The team was following up on information regarding suspected stolen copper cables being stored at a local scrapyard.
“Upon arrival at the identified place, police found two street lights which belonged to eThekwini Municipality, as well as copper cables. The estimated street value of the recovered property is R30 000,” Gwala said.
She said that the three men, aged 24, 41 and 53, were arrested for possession of suspected stolen property as well as tampering with essential infrastructure. They were due to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, January 25.
Daily News