Transnet Cable Theft Surged 22% During the Wage Protest Costing SEO at Least R24 Million

• Opportunistic criminals used the recent Transnet wage strike to steal copper cables and vandalise key infrastructure
• Transnet Freight Rail has estimated that it will cost at least R24 million to replace the cables on one corridor
• The State-owned Enterprise is working to get back to operations in the wake of the strike and has already normalised two key corridors

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rail, port and pipeline company is tallying the costs of cable theft in the wake of the two-week wage strike.

Transnet Freight Rail was subject to a 22% surge in cable theft on the container corridor as opportunistic criminals took advantage of the protest and vandalised key infrastructure.

According to News24, the rail company anticipates replacing the cables on one corridor will cost R24 million.

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The wage strike was called off last Wednesday, 19 October but not before the State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) reported a considerable loss in volume throughput and a significant increase in copper cable theft.

The cable theft resulted in 257 trains being stranded across the network. 234 of the trains were cleared by Tuesday, 25 October, but the remaining 23 are on the corridor between the port of Durban and Gauteng's economic hub.

Rudzani Ligege, managing executive of the container corridor, said beefed-up security has resulted in several arrests and the recovery of some of the stolen cables.

As for the perpetrators of the cable theft, TFR's Acting Chief Commercial Officer Bonginkosi Mabaso said the spike can't be attributed to an inside job, but signs point to it being a well-oiled operation, EWN reported.

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South Africans react to the surge in cable theft at Transnet

South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the increase in cable theft during the strike.

Here are some reactions:

@goitsekerileng2 commented:

"Scrapyards will cost us a great deal, but Comrades know best."

@angryforestcan1 added:

"Of course we cannot say that the crimes were inside jobs or not until the criminals have been sentenced. Since so few are even arrested we shall probably never know the events around individual crimes."

@GatvolZ claimed:

"Come one it's ways an inside job!"

@WendyCrause asked:

"So just how much did the strike cost SA? Unions are to blame."

Transnet workers call off strike, Satawu cries betrayal over after Untu takes agreement

In related news, Briefly News reported that Transnet workers returned to work after a 10-day strike that cost the SA economy approximately R8,9 billion.

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South Africa's rail, port and pipeline company announced that it entered into a wage agreement with the United National Transport Union (Untu), representing 24 992 (54%) transport employees.

The agreement will span three years, from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025 and includes a 6% increase in year one, a 5.5% increase in year two and a 6% increase in the final year. The agreement also includes increased medical and housing benefits, Daily Maverick reported.

Source: Briefly News