By Sue Maclennan
UPDATE FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER 2021:
Two men appeared briefly in the Magistrate’s Court in Makhanda late on Thursday 21 October. The matter is postponed to Wednesday 27 October for a bail application. The State indicated it would oppose bail because of the seriousness of the charges. The men remain in custody.
The Second-Hand Goods Act 6 of 2009 aims:
* To regulate the business of dealers in second-hand goods and pawnbrokers, in order to combat trade in stolen goods;
* To promote ethical standards in the second-hand goods trade; and
* To provide for matters connected therewith.
Read more here: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/32087392.pdf
The Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015 aims:
* To amend the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, so as to regulate bail in respect of essential infrastructure-related offences;
* To amend the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1997, so as to regulate the imposition of discretionary minimum sentences for essential infrastructure-related offences and to create a new offence relating to essential infrastructure;
* To amend the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 1998, so as to insert a new offence in Schedule 1 to the Act; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
Read more here: https://www.gov.za/documents/criminal-matters-amendment-act-18-2015-15-dec-2015-0000
ORIGINAL POST ON 20 OCTOBER:
Police seized copper pipes, taps, wiring and cables worth more than R84 000 and closed a scrap dealership in Makhanda on Tuesday 19 October. The dealership owner and his assistant are due to appear in the magistrate’s court in Makhanda on Thursday, 21 October 2021. The men, aged 46 and 26, have been charged with contravening the Second-Hand Goods Act and contravening the Criminal Matters Amendment Act.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Majola Nkohli said in an intelligence driven operation, police in partnership with other stakeholders in possession of search warrants had raided five premises of scrap metal dealers in Makhanda around 8am yesterday.
“A dealership in Victoria Street was closed, after 601.5 kilograms of copper were found stashed under piles of compressed aluminium bales,” Nkohli said.
Theft or damage to essential infrastructure had serious implications for the delivery of essential services, and was an ongoing problem in the Sarah Baartman District. Acting District Commissioner, Brigadier John Lebok, had commended members and other stakeholders for the sterling work, Nkohli reported.
“People must [take note] that any person… found guilty of contravening the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015 could be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of up to 30 years or issued a fine up to R100 million,” Lebok said.
Lebok said the Act was intended to address crimes affecting service delivery to the public, such as theft of cables, water meters, bridge railings, inspection (“manhole”) covers, and including damage to infrastructure such as roads.
SmilingSouth 