Vandals Have Stolen NRZ Copper Cables Worth US$130 000 Since January - NRZ

National Railways of Zimbabwe lost cables worth $130 000 to vandalists since the turn of the new year, Newsday reports. 9 people were arrested and given the mandatory 10-year jail sentence after 7 vandalism cases were reported according to the publication.

This was revealed by NRZ spokesperson Nyasha Maravanyika who spoke to Newsday and said:

Since the beginning of 2020, there has been an upsurge in cases of people stealing these cables, which are buried underground. The NRZ security branch, working together with other State security agents, is stepping up patrols to account for people stealing railways property.

Efforts by the NRZ security branch are bearing fruit as several arrests have been made with some leading to convictions. So far this year, seven cases have been reported in which cables worth more than $130 000 were stolen. Three people have been convicted and sentenced to the mandatory 10 years in prison each. Six others have their cases pending at the courts.

Maravanyika urged the country at large to join the NRZ whistleblowing programme which rewards people who report cases of vandalism of infrastructure.

More: Newsday