The Booysens magistrate's court has convicted and sentenced Mxolisi Ntshulayilo to 15 years' imprisonment for tampering with and damaging essential infrastructure.
The court also sentenced Ntshulayilo, 30, to an additional 10 years for the theft of copper cables belonging to Telkom on December 3 2024.
The Johannesburg K9 Unit members, which were patrolling Tiger Moth Road in Aeroton, noticed the accused emerging from a manhole near a box belonging to fibre internet provider Openserve.
The man was carrying a sack and a bag. Upon searching the suspect, police discovered rolls of copper cables.
“A check of the manhole revealed that cables had been cut. The accused was arrested and charged,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.
In court, prosecutor Ronnie Nomcebo Xulu said the accused had been convicted of a serious and prevalent offence affecting the entire country. Xulu said the accused’s actions disrupted communication services in an industrial area, resulting in business losses.
“The state also called a Telkom official to testify, who confirmed that the damage caused required repairs costing about R100,000.”
Mjonondwane said the court condemned the accused’s actions, highlighting that tampering with essential infrastructure is a national crisis with far-reaching consequences. The court said disruptions to communication services affected businesses and hindered critical services such as hospitals and courts.
TimesLIVE
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