why is copper theft a problem in south africa

Elvey Security Technologies has partnered with other players in the security industry to help curb this growing copper theft epidemic. Very little, if any scientific academic research has so far been conducted concerning the impact of copper cable theft on organisations and on the country as a whole. Copper cable theft has become a national crisis, threatening essential supporting services and life preserving assets. Theft of Eskom infrastructure including copper cables, overhead lines, transformers and conductors, among others, remains a serious concern for the power utility, Eskom’s Security Risk Management Division. Erin Torkelson, Researcher, Organised Crime and Money Laundering Programme, Cape Town There is little doubt that copper cable theft is a growing problem in South Africa, particularly for the electricity, telecommunications, and railway parastatals Eskom, Telkom, and Transnet. Replacing stolen copper cables, alone, costs Eskom in the region of R2 billion ($166 million) a year. Police in Carneys Point made an arrest on March 23 in connection to 20 copper thefts throughout the township and only three of those 20 were reported, according to Dt. Globeleq expanding into Nigerian power business, Ed’s note: The new heyday for coal in the energy transition, Optimised energy management delivers efficiency at Fekola gold mine, Energy system planning must include research into health says EEG. The impact of South Africa’s copper cable theft scourge is personal. Elvey Security Technologies has partnered with other players in the security industry to help curb this growing copper theft epidemic. The issue of copper theft has made headlines recently with parts of the Johannesburg city centre being plunged into darkness as a result. The theft continuously disrupts and degrades services, such as the power supply provided by Eskom and the telecommunication services by Telkom. Elvey has pioneered a wireless video security system known as Videofied, manufactured by RSI Video Technologies, to combat South Africa’s copper crisis with a no-nonsense approach. The current turbulence in the mining industry in South Africa has its roots in several different factors. Since copper has several features that attract criminals, copper theft has become a growing trend in South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng. 2267 days ago ‘Govt. cable theft and the number of cases increasing year by years. But while these may be an unusual experience for many people, the problem of copper theft is not new. IN THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA, FREE STATE DIVISION, BLOEMFONTEIN. © All content copyright 1997 - 2020 Clarion Energy, unless specified otherwise. Copper theft in South Africa is estimated to cost the country about R5-billion per year. Initiatives being put in place by the power utility to prevent such theft include, among others, replacing copper conductors with aluminium; placing unique markings on all. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. This indicates that something is being done to avert this crime but it also indicates that a lot more can still be done to reduce the impact of this crime. Rashid is on R500 000 bail. Eskom cited South Africa’s socio-economic climate; unemployment; and greed among other factors, as the main reasons for the increase in cable and copper theft. Bombardier Inc.'s high-tech rail project in South Africa has been a popular success, but it has sometimes been ground to a halt by a mundane problem: the theft of copper cables from its railway lines. According to the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s copper theft barometer, copper theft costs the economy between R5 billion ($415 million) and R7 billion ($581 million) a year. Using technology alone to find a solution is not adequate because crime is a socio-economic challenge and not a technical problem. Bench Marks does not currently have a Geiger counter, but even the Chamber of Mines of South Africa admits that radioactive contamination is a “major problem”. 2010-11-11. Copper is used in homes, by utilities and for a number of industrial processes, and increasingly, thieves are going after the metal anywhere … This case turns in essence around copper theft which is prevalent in the Free State Province and apparently also in other parts of South Africa if the law reports and latest legislation are considered. Predictions 2021: Part one, ‘Hydrogen can unlock untapped renewables’, Ted Blom on Eskom outlook: 2021 will be worst year ever, Nigeria: Confusion about the latest electricity tariffs increase, KenGen invites consultants to provide ancillary services. There are five primary objectives in this research: 1. “It was not clear whether the upward trend is due to greater demand, an increase in the price during the past months or to more lax implementation and policing of the Second Hand Goods Act, … Cable theft in Tshwane (the municipality in South Africa Paint Copper Black. By using our site you accept the terms of our cookie policy. While output is traditionally dominated by Zambia, South Africa and Katanga Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, many African nations contribute to copper production, and many African nations have undeveloped ore resources. Statistics suggest that crime affects primarily the poorest of South Africans. The theft of copper cables remains a widespread problem in South Africa, resulting in service outages for ADSL customers as well as power outages for many citizens… In fact, it is a problem that haunts the US Department of Energy year after year, with reports estimating $1 billion worth of damage every single year due to copper thefts. Municipalities beware: The power of consent; the lynchpin of PoPIA? The criminal threat to the mining industry “is thus becoming a threat to South Africa’s national growth and economic future” (ibid:105). However, Libya in north Africa is another country that is experiencing a copper theft problem. The Institute for Security Studies also … Metal theft in South Africa is rampant, with an estimated R 5 billion per annum lost due to the theft. Data was collected from literature sources as well as from security professionals combating copper theft. Very little, if any scientific academic research has so far been conducted concerning the impact of copper cable theft on organisations and on the country as a whole. This dissertation focuses on the phenomenon of copper cable theft within the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The current turbulence in the mining industry in South Africa has its roots in several different factors. A joint industry working group, formed by Eskom, Transnet, Telkom, the SAPS, the National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also continues to contribute positively in the fight against this crime. 0 comments Copper Theft Barometer compiler, Pietman Roos, says the problem with copper theft is that a single incident can lead to multimillion rand damages. Elvey has pioneered a wireless video security system known as Videofied, manufactured by RSI Video Technologies, to combat South Africa’s copper crisis with a no-nonsense approach. Op-ed: What will Joe Biden’s presidency mean for Africa? The purpose of this study was to gather relevant data to underpin and to identify the nature of copper … Dale VanNamee. 2007:91). Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. Following a relative quite crime period during the 2013 festive period in South Africa, copper cable theft attempts at mines have risen sharply, with scrap dealers back in business again from mid January 2014. The purpose of this study was to gather relevant data to underpin and to identify the nature of copper … For instance TM Malaysia reported 11.539 cases of cable theft and 6,759 cases in the first eight month of 2012 [1] and TM suffered about RM 8.8 million for the whole 2012 due to cable theft [2] . Note to editors: The following document outlining the DA's plan to combat copper theft was released today at the Gautrain's Malboro Station in Johannesburg. With improved legislation and tougher sentences, Eskom believes that the theft and vandalism to critical network infrastructure will ultimately cease. But while these may be an unusual experience for many people, the problem of copper theft is not new. The provision of security services on mines in South Africa is complex in a country consistently portraying complexity, intolerance and political rivalry in various sectors. The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. Copper cable theft has become a national crisis, threatening essential supporting services and life preserving assets. The respondents selected were all non-ferrous metal mitigation specialists in Gauteng, who have had the most valid experiences pertaining to copper cable theft. Bindeman says while South Africa has … Copper Theft Barometer compiler, Pietman Roos, says the problem with copper theft is that a single incident can lead to multimillion rand damages. Reports suggest copper cable theft is costing the country between R5bn and R16bn a year, with tens of thousands of instances of the crime taking place in South Africa’s economic heartland, Gauteng. South Africa is a world-leader in mining. Theft of copper cables -- already a perennial problem in South Africa -- “is very high during load shedding,” said Isaac Mangena, a spokesman for … 2267 days ago ‘Govt. Copyright © 2014, Criminological and Victimological Society of Southern Africa (CRIMSA):All rights reserved. South Africa is facing a major problem with copper theft and has a negative impact on all citizens. Acta Criminologica : African Journal of Criminology & Victimology, Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Extent and impact of copper cable theft in Gauteng, Website © 2020 Sabinet All Rights reserved. Enter your email address below and we will send you your username, If the address matches an existing account you will receive an email with instructions to retrieve your username, Enter your email address below and we will send you the reset instructions, If the address matches an existing account you will receive an email with instructions to reset your password. “South Africa was not the only country that faced this problem. This site uses cookies which are essential to make the site function effectively. Copper Theft (2001) - In South Africa, thieves are stealing large amounts of cable from companies such as Telecom. Copper is one of the world's most important industrial minerals, and Africa is an important world producer. Key terms: Crime prevention; copper cable theft; copper theft; copper thieves; security measurements; Second-Hand Goods Act`s; Non-ferrous metal. According to the power utility’s Security Risk Management division, the fight against infrastructure theft is being addressed by means of intelligence-driven investigations by the Hawks, a division of the South African Police Services (SAPS), which encompasses aggressive policing of the scrap metal market for stolen goods. Internationally, copper theft is increasing, and reports are being received from many countries,” said Maotshe. Gauteng, in particular, and in fact to all these infrastructures in South Africa. Eskom aluminium conductors; replacing all normal bolts on pylons with anti-theft bolts; engraving support lattices on steel pylons with Eskom’s name on the steel; installing alarms on overhead lines in such a way that if the line is cut or tampered with, the alarm goes off in the control room and the reaction unit is immediately dispatched to the location. A focus group interview of 28 senior security managers was also conducted in Gauteng in 2011. Very little, if any scientific academic research has so far been conducted concerning the impact of copper cable theft on organisations and on the country as a whole. This trend of stealing cables affects every citizen in the country. South Africa's building industry is booming - but so is the lucrative "organised crime" business of copper theft from construction sites. The Democratic Alliance (DA) today announces its plan to deal with the ongoing copper theft crisis. Copper theft a problem in Libya 2 August 2013 – While theft of copper conductor is a problem that affects the electricity supply industry in South Africa, many other countries in Africa which use copper reportedly do not experience this problem. Ashley Theron-Ord is based in Cape Town, South Africa at Clarion Events-Africa. A great deal has been written about the first two … “Since the beginning of the 2004 spike in copper prices, copper theft and copper prices have been directly linked,” a 2010 US Department of Energy study on copper wire thefts … The Power utility said that the Criminal Matters Amendment Act, which came into effect this year, states that the minimum sentences for first-time copper thieves is three years and the maximum is 30 years for those involved in instigating or causing damage to infrastructure, which indicates the seriousness of this crime. A great deal has been written about the first two … First, the fall in global demand for platinum and other minerals due to recession; second, the consequences of the Marikana disaster in destabilising labour relations; and third, the structural character of our mining industry. Replacing stolen copper cables, alone, costs Eskom in the region of R2 billion ($166 million) a year. The researchers used purposive sampling in order to collect information specifically relating to copper cable theft in Gauteng and the factors that could contribute or mitigate such occurrences. Crime in South Africa includes all violent and non-violent crimes that take place in the country of South Africa, or otherwise within its jurisdiction.Crime levels have been attributed to poverty, problems with delivery of public services, and wealth disparity. First, the fall in global demand for platinum and other minerals due to recession; second, the consequences of the Marikana disaster in destabilising labour relations; and third, the structural character of our mining industry. South Africa is experiencing a rapid increase in the criminal act of cable theft. Understanding that copper theft is a very real problem is an important first step in protecting your community organization from copper theft, but there are more steps that can be taken to avoid this growing problem. The stolen metal ranges from copper cables, piping, bolts to manhole covers. * Scrap metal theft is also a significant problem in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The estimated loss due to copper theft is approximately R5 … This article is a shortened overview representing the views and experience of Dolf Scheepers on copper theft on South African mines. Sgt. Eskom has revealed that as much as 7% of the country’s electricity is stolen via illegal connections, something the state power utility can no longer afford. SACCI believes that copper theft is driven by the cyclical price of copper, by general crime levels, and by policing efficacy. Who Profits from Copper Theft? The courts are also taking this crime seriously and significant sentences are being handed out to perpetrators. In fact, it is a problem that haunts the US Department of Energy year after year, with reports estimating $1 billion worth of damage every single year due to copper thefts. The extensive use … 1.1.1 The research problem Crime in South Africa has been a topic of concern for the government since 1994. Protection From Copper Theft. Bindeman says while South Africa has … Thieves sometimes have to go through the fibre to get to the copper, or they don’t know whether a cable is copper of fibre before they’ve cut it open. 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