The ANC says organised criminals are destroying infrastructure by stealing metal, but the EFF argues that this is "survival-based theft". Parliament yesterday debated the Criminal Matters Amendment Bill, which criminalises theft or damage to infrastructure such as telephone lines, Eskom equipment and other government-owned infrastructure.The new bill would impose a maximum sentence of 30 years for damaging or tampering with infrastructure. It also imposes stricter bail conditions.Justice Minister Michael Masutha said that in April alone, 179 metric tons of copper were stolen, which cost R13.6-million to replace."Armed and dangerous" criminals exacerbated the situation.The bill was largely supported by most opposition parties, although with some conditions.But EFF MP Nicholous Pro Khoza argued that the bill punished the poor for crimes for which the "state is directly responsible".Metals theft was "survival-based crime", he said.DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach said the bill was "technical and largely uncontroversial' and that the level of crime affecting essential infrastruture was "unacceptably high".ACDP MP Steven Swart said there had been 58 000 cases of cable theft in one year but only 374 scrap dealers convicted.He said the proposed fine of R100-million would go a long way towards deterring them from buying stolen goods...