Cable theft costs economy R47 billion a year – charge thieves with treason
Government has proposed a six-month ban on the export of copper waste, and scrap and semi-finished metals to halt the damage caused to the economy and public infrastructure. The ban, which will become effective in the next couple of days after being gazetted, forms part of government’s response to the cable theft and vandalism that have contributed to the slowdown in economic activity.
Asked about the cost of the ban on legitimate businesses dealing in scrap metals, Patel said sellers would still be able to trade in the domestic market but would not be able to export for the six months of the ban. He added that the cost of doing nothing was just too high. Ebrahim Patel, Bheki Cele and Pravin Gordhan outline the measures being taken to stop illegal trade in metals.The rail agency has recently restored some of its operations in the province, including the Naledi to Johannesburg corridor that resumed operating this week.
"The time has also come that, if this kind of theft and sabotage continues and has the kind of impact we’ve seen in the past years on the economy and on the institutions themselves, serious consideration should be given to charging some of the people involved in this kind of sabotage at Eskom and Transnet, perhaps even Prasa, with treason."
"You can imagine the kind of impact that has on the movement of locomotives and so, inevitably, there are delays. Secondly it has an impact on which type of locomotive can be used on which type of rail and if the damage is not anticipated or known, you then have derailments as well, which brings about its own problems.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Cable theft attempt leaves Joburg south residents in the darkCity Power blamed the outage on ongoing cable theft and the vandalism of its infrastructure.
Read more »
Construction of Mpumalanga's new city to start in March 2023 | City PressAfter 14 years of thorough planning, the construction of Mpumalanga’s R8.3 billion agricultural city will begin in early 2023.
Read more »
Employability should be a marker of success for TVET colleges says minister - HypertextMinister of Higher Education and Training has reiterated the need for TVET colleges to establish partnerships with industry players.
Read more »
LETTER: UN votes to probe Iran over rights abuses, but SA invites its foreign ministerWhat a reflection of the ANC’s ‘commitment’ to combatting the scourge of gender-based violence
Read more »
Beware of ‘inheritance’ scams | City PressHere are 10 tips to follow to check whether the message or approach is legitimate and not a scam
Read more »