Zimbabwean national Zakhele Hadebe was sentenced to 34 years’ imprisonment for stealing and destroying power infrastructure. Picture: NPA
By Montsho Matlala
Musina: A Zimbabwean man who vandalised and stole power infrastructure on a farm was recently sentenced to 34 years’ imprisonment by the Musina Regional Court, which also found he was in South Africa illegally.
Zakhele Hadebe, 51, and another man still at large, opened a transformer and dug up several metres of underground cables supplying electricity to Maremani Nature Reserve, leaving wildlife and residents without power. The farm also suffered a water shortage, as the electricity that powered water-pumping machinery was cut, the court heard.
“While the second man managed to escape, Hadebe was arrested on site after being traced through their escape route.
Throughout the trial, he admitted to being an illegal immigrant and to trespassing, but denied other charges, including tampering with essential infrastructure and theft of non-ferrous metal,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi.
State prosecutor Jan Krijt argued that infrastructure crimes were rampant across the country and particularly devastating to farmers as well as rural communities, who were often left without basic services. Krijt stressed that there were no compelling reasons for the court to deviate from the prescribed sentence of 34 years’ imprisonment.
Advocate Ivy Thenga, director of the NPA in Limpopo, welcomed the prison term for Hadebe, saying crimes that targeted infrastructure deprived communities of basic services.
“The NPA will continue to adopt a focused approach to ensure that, upon conviction, harsher sentences are imposed. We also commend the sterling work of the prosecutor and the investigating police officers for securing conviction and sentence in this particular case,” added Thenga.
