R20 Million Copper Cable Theft: South Africans Call for Harsher Measures to Be Implemented

• Police in KwaZulul-Natal recovered over R20 million worth of stolen copper cables at a scrapyard
• The majority of the stolen copper has since been confirmed as belonging to the eThekwini Municipality
• South Africans have called on government to introduce regulations to combat the theft and sale of metals

DURBAN – Citizens have once again made calls to regulate the scrap metal sector.

This comes after police in KwaZulu-Natal made a major bust in Queensburgh, recovering approximately R20 million worth of stolen copper cables.

SAPS made the bust following an operation in conjunction with the Hawks and arrested a 59-year-old man who claimed to be the manager of the premises.

Most of the stolen copper has since been identified as belonging to the eThekwini municipality.

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Billions lost to copper theft

The theft of copper cables and other metals is a problem plaguing the country.

With little to no repercussions and big money to be made, the problem has continued unabated.

Government confirmed last year that the crime's economic impact was estimated to be more than R45 billion annually.

South Africans want scrapyards raided

The news was greeted with much enthusiasm by netizens, as they praised the work done by police.

They also recognised that there would be many more cases like this until something was done.

Here’s how social media reacted:

@Mafa6232:

“We've been saying all stolen copper and railway infrastructure ends up at scrapyards. Government needs to regulate that industry. As it is, a phara just walks at a traffic light at a scrapyard and gets paid R200. Visit all of them, you will recover way more than this.

@Aristotle_SC:

“Scrapyards are the biggest enablers of copper cable theft.”

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@MaurcheS:

“Finally. I don't understand why there is no regular raids on scrap yards. Where does a skollie go with cables? The scrap yard.”

@Itumele_Mora:

“Intensify the hunt for these scrap metal recyclers that are involved in criminal activities.”

@myz_siya:

“We have a very useless government…we all know scrapyards are the problem. Close them down or nationalize them.”

City Power officials complicit in cable theft

City Power Johannesburg lost R160 million as a result of vandalism and cable theft in the 2023/24 financial year.

That figure was confirmed after five people were arrested for stealing copper brazing rods valued at R20,000.

Briefly News reported that three City Power officials were also found to be accomplices to the crime.

Source: Briefly News