Two men, aged 31 and 61, were arrested at a scrap metal business in Mmakau near De Wildt on Monday for stealing aluminium cables worth R10 million from essential infrastructure.

“The pair were arrested after the police acted on information received from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)’s security services about suspected illegal activity taking place at a scrap metal business in Mmakau,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.

On arrival at the scrap yard, police found aluminium cables loaded on a bakkie and more inside a building on the premises. “The police arrested the driver of the bakkie and the owner of the scrap yard after the cables were identified by PRASA technicians. The total value of the cables is estimated at R10 million.”

The two suspects appeared in the Brits Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday on charges of possession of suspected stolen property, tampering with essential infrastructure and contravention of Section 21 (failure to keep a register) of the Second-Hand Goods Act, 2009 (Act No. 6 of 2009).

The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena made an appeal to members of the community to be the eyes and ears of the police and to report tampering and theft of essential infrastructure to the nearest police station.