In a case highlighting the serious consequences of damaging critical public services, the Britstown Regional Court has handed down a significant sentence for a crime involving municipal infrastructure.
The conviction stems from an incident on September 24, 2020, when an employee of the Emthanjeni Local Municipality discovered a man in the act of digging up an electrical cable. The employee found that the suspect had first disconnected the electricity supply from the main municipal switch box. The targeted cable was responsible for powering the crucial municipal water pump.
The alert municipal official intervened, confiscated the stolen cable, and immediately reported the crime to the South African Police Service.
A case was opened, leading to the subsequent arrest of the accused on charges of tampering with essential infrastructure—an offence that posed a serious risk to public safety, electricity supply, communication, and transportation in the area.
After a lengthy judicial process, the case concluded on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. The Britstown Regional Court found 26-year-old Henryboy Links guilty of the charge.
The court sentenced Links to ten years’ direct imprisonment. Furthermore, he was formally declared unfit to possess a firearm.