Mkhuhlu – The woman accused of stealing aluminum cables belonging to Eskom and smelting them to make huge aluminum pots at her home in Mkhuhlu, near Calcutta outside Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, has been remanded in custody.
The accused 52-year-old Nombango Claudia Mgiba was arrested at her home on Monday morning, (29 January 2024).
She appeared in the Calcutta Magistrate’s Court on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property.
The accused was arrested by the Hawks in conjunction with other police teams through a tip-off about the power utility’s stolen aluminum cables, which she stored at her home.
Mgiba allegedly smelted the cables to make huge pots.
Narrating events leading to the accused’s arrest, Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said a search warrant was obtained before the police went to the suspect’s home.
Captain Sekgotodi said when the police arrived at the suspect’s home, they found several huge aluminum pots.
Aluminum cables were also found.
“During the search, aluminum cables suspected to be from Eskom were found on the premises covered by a tarpaulin belonging to Transnet,” Captain Sekgotodi said.
As the search continued, police found more rolls of aluminum cables next to the house also concealed with tarpaulin.
“An Eskom member was summoned to Mgiba’s house and he identified the cable as Eskom’s property.
“A lot of aluminum pots were also found in the house and outside the room and were suspected to have been manufactured from the smelting of the stolen cables.
“The investigation continues.”
The accused was remanded in custody and will again appear in court on Thursday, (1 February 2024), for her bail application.
