Copper thieves get six years but the bosses are untouched by the law

A few metres of copper got them six years in jail.

But while Metrorail celebrated the convictions of three copper thieves, the passenger rail operator’s regional manager, Richard Walker, said the scrapyard dealers who created a demand for stolen copper were yet to face the consequences.

Sibabalwa Mneno, Sihle Mbizane, and Scott Williams were each sentenced in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court last week to six years' imprisonment. Together they caused R32,000 in damage to rail infrastructure when they stole "core signalling cables" along Cape Town's Metrorail lines.

According to Walker, clean second-hand copper sells for R85 a kilogramme. He said that guilty pleas and convictions for copper thieves have become the norm.

"While we commend all successful convictions since March 2018, the lack of consequence for unlawful scrap dealers is unacceptable. It is the individuals risking capture for a few rands who get lengthy jail terms while the bosses of these lucrative chop shops remain untouched – we have yet to see jail sentences for dealers or any scrapyard closures," said Walker.

He appealed to the public to help law enforcement authorities expose non-compliant scrap dealers. 

"Be alert and vigilant to underhand deals and give information or tip-offs to law enforcers so that the real criminals face the consequences of their illegal actions," he said.