Boitekong: An intelligence-driven operation executed by Boitekong Visible Policing members yielded positive results when four suspects were arrested on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, at Dichibidung informal settlement close to Rustenburg. The operation resulted in the confiscation of copper cables, highlighting the effectiveness of coordinated policing efforts.
According to South African Police Service, the arrest followed a tip-off about individuals seen loading copper cables into a white Jeep Grand Cherokee at Dichibidung informal settlement. The police team kept the vehicle under observation and intercepted it at Sunrise Park. During the search, they discovered stripped copper cables with an estimated street value of R424,000 inside the vehicle’s boot. The two occupants, aged 44 and 29, were apprehended after failing to provide a proper account for the copper cables in their possession.
Further investigation led officers to another address in the Dichibidung informal settlement, where two additional suspects, aged 19 and 30, were arrested for contravention of Section 41 and 49 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act, 2002. Preliminary findings revealed that one of the first two suspects is the owner of a reclaim scrap metal business in Tlhabane.
Of the four suspects, two appeared before the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 28 February 2025. Mateo Simango (19) and Lucas Manave (21), both Mozambicans, pleaded guilty to contravening the Immigration Act. They were each sentenced to three months’ imprisonment or a fine of R5,000, followed by deportation to Mozambique.
The other two suspects, Aurangzeb Raja (44) and David Ngobeni (29), also appeared in court on the same day for possession of copper cables. They were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on Monday, 03 March 2025, for a bail application. The investigation, including confirmation of the legal status of the accused from Pakistan and Mozambique, is ongoing.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Asaneng, commended all involved members for their successful operation.