A 34-year-old uMgungundlovu Municipality employee has been granted R1,000 bail after she was charged with six counts of tampering, damaging or destroying essential infrastructure.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed Mbeko Nzimande appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
NPA spokesperson for KwaZulu-Natal Natasha Kara said that the State alleges that between the period of January 2022 and September 2023, Nzimande had the electricity supply to her home illegally reconnected.
This, according to the NPA, allegedly took place on six different occasions after the municipality had disconnected her supply.
Reasons as to why her electricity had been disconnected were not provided. Kara said Mbeko was released on bail and the matter was adjourned to April 10 for further investigation.
Earlier this week, in another incident, a 30-year-old man found guilty of tampering with essential infrastructure was jailed to 10 behind bars.
The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks) said Kamohelo Madiehe was convicted and sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court.
“Madiehe was arrested by the private security guards at Bolgowan area near Nottingham on April 7,2022,” explained KZN Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo.
“Security guards were patrolling the railway line when they noticed that a section of catenary cable was cut,” Mhlongo said.
“Whilst searching the area they found Madiehe hiding with four rolls of catenary cable and hacksaw.”
Mhlongo said a case was opened at Nottingham Road police station and a case docket was allocated to Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation.
IOL News