eThekwini Municipality loses about R60 million annually due to copper theft.
As copper theft continues to impact public infrastructure, with theft and damage estimated to cost the economy R46 billion annually, it is hoped that proposed legislative amendments may tighten regulations in the scrap metal industry.
This is according to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. The scrap metal export ban, which was imposed in November 2022 in a bid to reduce the theft of infrastructure, was not extended after the ban expired in December last year, the department said.
Asked whether the ban had made a difference to the theft of infrastructure, department spokesperson Bongani Lukhele said the results were mixed.
“We believe that the evidence is somewhat mixed and has little bearing on the claims that the prohibition has decreased infrastructure damage and theft. This was to be expected, given semi-finished exports make up the majority of the export market, with scrap metal exports making up a very small percentage of it.”
Lukhele said before the expiry of the scrap metal export ban in December 2023, the minister convened a consultative meeting with industry to find alternative solutions to mitigate the continued theft and damage of public and private infrastructure.
“Following this consultation, it was decided not to extend the export prohibition on scrap metal,” he said.
He said it was expected that proposed amendments to the Regulations to the Second-Hand Goods Act may help to regulate the scrap metal industry. In July this year, the SAPS invited public comments on the proposed amendments.
“The proposed amendments call for an improved reporting system that will mandate all scrap dealers to submit electronic reports via the Metal Trading System (MTS). It is anticipated that this MTS will help the government monitor the scrap metal trade and improve police efforts to prevent theft of both public and private infrastructure,” said Lukhele.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the City loses about R60 million annually due to copper theft.
However, she said South Africa is by no means the only country struggling with a copper theft problem and the country has legislation pertaining to this situation, including the Second-Hand Goods Act, the Criminal Matters Amendment Act, and the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
The Mercury