By: ANG Reporter
Two Zimbabwean nationals, Namer Ndovu (27) and Collen Singanje (28), have been sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment each by the Pretoria North Magistrates Court. They were charged with tampering with essential infrastructure. The incident dates back to December 21, 2020, when the two individuals were apprehended by security guards from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) in the Wonderboom area along Eskia Mpahlane Drive. At that time, they were found in possession of 8 pieces of signal copper cables. Following their arrest, they have remained in custody.
During the court proceedings, Ndovu and Singanje initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, state prosecutor Lufuno Manena presented compelling evidence that left no room for doubt regarding their guilt. To bolster the state’s case, John Motswaledi, a corporate security investigator at PRASA, testified that each stolen cable was valued at R3000. The ramifications of this crime extended beyond the initial theft, with the total impact on PRASA exceeding R300,000 due to the expenses incurred in replacing and repairing the damaged infrastructure.
In an effort to highlight the gravity of the offense, Prosecutor Manena emphasized how damaging critical infrastructure adversely affects the country’s economy, its ordinary citizens, and businesses alike. He further stressed the importance of the court’s role in safeguarding the community by imposing stringent sentences that not only serve as a deterrent to the convicted but also send a clear message to potential wrongdoers. As such, he requested the court to impose a suitable sentence that would help restore trust in the justice system.
Magistrate Phogotlhe Motlang concurred with the state’s argument and deemed the sentence to be appropriate in light of the circumstances.
In response to the verdict, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) expressed its satisfaction with the outcome, welcoming the imposed sentence as a step toward upholding the rule of law and deterring future acts of this nature.
