The Nxuba Magistrates’ Court has sentenced four individuals to a total of 35 years imprisonment each.
The convicted—Charlie van Dyk (43), Elandre Senekal (29), Michelle van Straaten (23), and Kwakhanya Bolowana (28)—were found guilty of housebreaking, damaging essential infrastructure, and theft at the Scalen Rail Station, Mortimer Road, Nxuba, in March 2023.
The stolen property included four batteries, transformers, and cables valued at R57,000, all crucial to the operation of the rail network.
The crime, which occurred on the 15th and 29th of March 2023, severely disrupted the operations of Transnet, South Africa’s state-owned rail company.
The stolen items were essential for the functioning of the rail network, leading to significant delays and operational challenges.
The theft was discovered after Transnet engineer Abongile Yolwa was alerted by the Johannesburg-based control room about a malfunction on the rail line.
Upon inspection, Yolwa found that the facility had been broken into, with essential equipment missing.
She promptly reported the incident to the local police.
The breakthrough in the case came after Sergeant Peters of the K9 unit received a tip-off regarding the stolen property being offloaded at a house in Cawood Street, Nxuba—the residence of one of the accused, Kwakhanya Bolowana.
Although initial searches of Bolowana’s house and the vehicle in which the accused were found yielded no evidence, two of the stolen batteries were eventually discovered in a nearby parked vehicle.
Further investigations led to the recovery of additional stolen batteries at the residence of van Dyk, leading to the arrest of all four accused.
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During the trial, van Dyk pleaded guilty to the housebreaking charge, while his co-accused maintained their innocence.
However, the court found all four guilty and imposed harsh sentences:
five years for housebreaking, 15 years for damaging essential infrastructure, and 15 years for theft. Accused two and three will serve an effective sentence of 20 years, while accused one and four will serve 30 years.
The sentences have been welcomed by Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo, who praised the efforts of the police and the prosecution team.
“This sentence serves as a strong deterrent against crimes targeting essential infrastructure,” Madolo stated.
“The disruption caused by such thefts extends beyond financial loss; it undermines public safety and the effective operation of our transport systems.”
Madolo also highlighted the broader implications of such crimes on service delivery, stressing that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will continue to push for harsher sentences and the involvement of the Asset Forfeiture Unit where kingpins are involved, to ensure that “crime does not pay.”
This case underscores the commitment of law enforcement and the justice system in protecting South Africa’s critical infrastructure from criminal activities that threaten public safety and essential services.
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