Klerksdorp police seize R132,660 in copper cable, arrest two suspects

Two men have been arrested in Klerksdorp and copper cable valued at R132,660 recovered after police intercepted a vehicle on the N12, the South African Police Service said in a media statement.

The arrests happened on Wednesday, 08 October 2026, during Operation Ukubuza, a SAPS operation running from 01 October to 30 November 2026 that focuses on crimes relating to essential infrastructure.

Members of the Klerksdorp Rapid Rail Police Unit were following up on intelligence about a white Renault vehicle said to be transporting copper cable from Christiana to Klerksdorp. They spotted the vehicle on the N12 and stopped it close to Klerksdorp.

As officers approached and ordered the occupants out, two people got out and ran from the scene on foot. A search of the vehicle found two white sacks hidden at the back under a blanket, containing 325 pieces of contact wire copper cable weighing 181.5kg.

The two remaining occupants, aged 30 and 38, were arrested and charged with possession of suspected stolen property. The copper and the vehicle were seized.

The two suspects are expected to appear before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 12 October 2026.

The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Peter Athur Adams, commended the members for their vigilance.

This report is based on a SAPS media statement, which is a summary of the police account rather than the underlying case record. The statement does not name the two men who fled on foot, and it does not say whether they have been traced.

Source: South African Police Service, Two suspects arrested for possession of suspected stolen copper cable