Taung, North West — 30 October 2025. The Taung Regional Court has sentenced three men to 15 years’ direct imprisonment each for tampering with essential infrastructure, following their arrest for digging up and loading stolen copper cable near the Pudimoe Police Station.

The convicted men are Letlhogonolo Selaledi (34), Thabang Kgalapa (33) and Kenneth Chauke (34). According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the trio was caught on 12 May 2024 in Pudimoe Location after police acted on information that cables were being excavated and removed. Officers arrived to find the men loading copper onto a truck; the cable was later valued at R151 778.28.

When questioned, the accused claimed they had been contracted by Openserve. However, the company’s Area Manager testified during trial that no contract or employment relationship existed with any of the men. All three had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

State Prosecutor Rebaona Mokgopa led evidence from the Openserve representative and argued in aggravation that infrastructure tampering has society-wide impacts—disrupting essential services such as electricity supply and exacerbating load-shedding. Handing down sentence, Magistrate Buti Zulu agreed with the State’s position, calling the offenders’ actions “selfish and detrimental” to the residents of Pudimoe.

Welcoming the outcome, Director of Public Prosecutions (North West) Dr Rachel Makhari praised Prosecutor Mokgopa, the investigating officer and other stakeholders for securing the conviction. “The NPA remains committed to combating crime and upholding the rule of law. We hope this sentence will serve as a strong deterrent and help safeguard essential infrastructure that is vital to community livelihoods,” she said.

The NPA underscored that the ruling sends a clear deterrent message as law-enforcement agencies and communities grapple with copper theft and the broader sabotage of critical infrastructure.

-The VIP Team 

-SAPS NW