A Scottburgh court has sentenced a 36-year-old man to 10 years’ direct imprisonment for stealing Telkom copper cables and damaging essential infrastructure.

The Scottburgh Regional Court sentenced Bonga Mzonjani Gumede after he pleaded guilty in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, the NPA said in a statement on Saturday.

Gumede pleaded guilty to contravening Section 3(1)(a) of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015, which relates to “the tampering with, damaging, or destruction of essential infrastructure”.

He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The offence took place in the Mpambanyoni Bridge area in Scottburgh.

According to the NPA, on 24 November 2023, Gumede was confronted by security personnel while he was cutting and removing Telkom copper cables from a manhole.

He fled the scene in a vehicle and was pursued by members of the SAPS K9 Unit working with

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