COPPER CABLE THIEVES’ PLANS CUT SHORT
Gilbert Shishonge and Josefa Semango received effective prison terms of 15 and 12 years respectively for crimes involving copper cable theft at a mine in Northam.
Platinum Bushvelder newspaper | Northam – Two men convicted of tampering with essential infrastructure and stealing copper cables at a mine in Northam have been sentenced to effective prison terms of 15 and 12 years. The Thabazimbi Regional Court sentenced Gilbert Shishonge and Josefa Semango on Monday 26 October 2026 on charges involving infrastructure tampering, metal theft, trespassing and, in Shishonge’s case, immigration offences.
The convictions stem from an incident on 3 January 2026 at approximately 21:00, when a group of suspects unlawfully entered the mine’s underground workings through an illegal opening. They cut copper cables essential to mining operations and attempted to steal them. Mine security personnel apprehended the suspects shortly after the offence. Copper cable with an estimated value of R337,250 was recovered.
The case docket was subsequently referred to the Essential Infrastructure Task Team. Warrant officer Samuel Temane investigated the matter, and his diligent work helped secure the successful prosecution.
Shishonge was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for tampering with essential infrastructure and a further 15 years for theft of ferrous or non-ferrous metal. He also received two years for entering South Africa without a passport, two years for failing to enter through a designated port of entry, and two years for trespassing.
Semango was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for tampering with essential infrastructure, 12 years for theft of ferrous or non-ferrous metal, and two years for trespassing. The court ordered all sentences for each man to run concurrently, resulting in effective prison terms of 15 years for Shishonge and 12 years for Semango.
Limpopo provincial police commissioner lieutenant general Jan Scheepers welcomed the convictions and sentences, stressing that the theft and destruction of essential infrastructure negatively affect economic activity and industries that contribute significantly to the country’s development.
