It took long enough, but government has finally made its first constructive move to address the rampant copper wire theft that has decimated SA’s economy.
Trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel announced on Wednesday that government is imposing a six-month ban on the export of copper and copper alloys in an effort to curb vandalism of public infrastructure.
The move is not a surprise — it was officially proposed in August — but can’t come soon enough. Cable theft has devastated our country. It has destroyed key infrastructure including rail, electricity and telecommunication.
SA’s well-documented inability to control crime has enabled copper wire syndicates to flourish. They have become voracious, sniffing out and devouring every scrap of metal within their vast radius.
For more than a decade we watched and shrugged our shoulders as these syndicates grew, unwilling or unable to stop them. We sat by as the problem grew from bothersome to gargantuan, until it was clear these syndicates were holding the country to ransom. Now it seems our leaders have finally got the memo: SA will never succeed or grow as long as these syndicates operate.
Patel said on Wednesday the six-month ban is to allow government to introduce other regulations aimed at addressing the theft of infrastructure for sale. We hope these regulations are severe and impenetrable and are implemented swiftly across the board.
A permit system will apply to semi-finished copper exports and be administered by the International Trade Administration Commission. After the six-month period, a licensing system will be put in place on all copper trading in SA.
The city (Johannesburg) says it spends about R100m a year trying to prevent cable theft, and that over the past five years it has lost R187m due to cable theft and vandalism.
The minister said research had confirmed the theft of scrap metals, particularly copper cables, imposed costs “far beyond the actual value of the material taken”.
Enormous damage of rail transport and disruption to electricity supply effectively inhibits economic production and service delivery, he said.
Researchers estimate the cost of the theft at Eskom, Prasa and Transnet and within the mining industry exceeds R47bn annually.
This does not include damage and loss in other sectors, meaning the damage from theft costs SA’s economy more than R137m a day.
Patel said the government had considered a permanent ban but had instead gone for a temporary one because “we recognise there are legitimate traders”.
Curtailing free trade is seldom a good thing, and we acknowledge that legitimate exporters will be hit hard during this time. It’s also possible illegitimate exporters will merely stockpile their loot until the ban is lifted. If police did their jobs, we would not have to resort to this drastic measure. But the point is that a plan is under way, and its first steps have been implemented. That is cause for celebration.
Earlier this year, Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse begged police to help tackle gangs targeting substations and other electricity infrastructure. These gangs have become increasingly violent — some reportedly carry AK47s, and several security guards have been shot dead in confrontations.
The city says it spends about R100m a year trying to prevent cable theft and that over the past five years it has lost R187m due to cable theft and vandalism.
So while the latest move announced by Patel is just one small step in a long journey, the message it sends is huge. A cleanup is imminent.
We only hope government can keep the momentum going. Imagine a SA in which cable theft is non-existent. Imagine how service delivery would improve, how many jobs would be created. Government would have no more excuses for shoddy infrastructure and nowhere to hide.
It may seem like a pipe dream, but it’s a situation that can — and must — become a reality. The sooner the better.
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