A 51-YEAR-OLD Lesotho national has been sentenced to 18 years of direct imprisonment after being caught red-handed stealing underground copper cables belonging to Telkom, a crime the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says threatens South Africa’s economy and public infrastructure.
Mathokoa Sebaka was convicted by the Bloemfontein Regional Court on 25 June 2025 for damaging essential infrastructure and theft, after he was arrested on 4 November 2023 on Victoria Road in Bloemfontein while digging up copper cables valued at approximately R5 000.
The court further found that Sebaka was in South Africa illegally and sentenced him to a fine of R5 000 or six months’ imprisonment for contravening the Immigration Act.
NPA regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane confirmed the sentencing and hailed the outcome as a strong message to cross-border criminals targeting South Africa’s critical infrastructure.
“This sentence underscores the NPA’s uncompromising resolve to defend the integrity of essential public services and crush cross-border criminal activity,” he said.
“These crimes sabotage service delivery and rob communities of their basic rights, and the NPA will not stand idle.”
Sebaka pleaded guilty to the charges, but during sentencing proceedings, state prosecutor Amore Coetzee argued for a heavy penalty to deter others, particularly undocumented foreign nationals committing similar offences.
The NPA said it would continue to push for maximum sentences and focus on dismantling syndicates involved in infrastructure sabotage. – Staff Reporter