A 51-year-old Zimbabwean man, Zakhele Hadebe, has been sentenced to 34 years in prison by South Africa’s Musina Regional Court for cable theft and related crimes. Hadebe was found guilty of tampering with critical infrastructure, theft of non-ferrous metal, trespassing, and violating the Immigration Act. The lengthy sentence is considered one of the harshest for this type of offence.
The court heard that on May 11, 2023, Hadebe and an accomplice targeted a private electrical installation at the Maremani Nature Reserve, which powers water pumps vital to the reserve’s operations. They forcibly opened a transformer and extracted a significant length of underground copper cable, causing serious disruption.
While Hadebe’s partner escaped, his attempt to flee was unsuccessful. Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi confirmed the arrest. During trial, Hadebe admitted to being in South Africa illegally and trespassing in the protected reserve but denied charges of theft and vandalism, which the court dismissed.
Advocate Ivy Thenga, Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, warned that crimes against infrastructure severely impact communities and underscored the judiciary’s commitment to imposing strict penalties. This case sets a strong precedent, emphasizing South Africa’s zero tolerance for offences that disrupt essential services and public welfare.
