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t is estimated that copper theft – regarded a ‘high priority crime’
– costs the South African economy about R5 billion every year.
It affects everyone. South Africa’s Minister of Energy would like
copper theft to be classified as economic sabotage.
There are well-organised criminal syndicates operating through-
out South Africa that are crippling this country’s economy. These
syndicates have international links and influence, including disturbing
relationships with scrupulous scrap metal dealers and exporters.
Copper thieves have developed several techniques over the years
and are becoming increasingly violent. The fact that electrical network
theft is extremely dangerous and fatalities are a regular occurrence has
not hampered their efforts. Syndicates target the poor and desperate
to entice them to carry out the dangerous work while the syndicate
members only come into the picture after the fact. The thieves employ
‘Heath Robinson’ type contraptions to steal copper-bearing cable. Long
trenches are dug in a very short time to access and steal underground
cable; and simple objects, such as wooden poles, are used to ‘trip’
the power so that organised gangs can steal overhead cables, causing
severe damage to electrical networks.
Government intervention
The South African government has instigated a number of measures
to curb criminal activities in the ferrous and non-ferrous markets and
clamp down on the illegal trade of scrap metal. These measures
include the recent amendments to the Second Hand Goods Act and
the Export Regulations. The amendments take into account instances
where copper cable has been burnt or altered. The general purpose of
tightening the export regulations is to retain high quality scrap metal
within the South African economy and to prevent the export of stolen
scrap metal. In principle, these amendments will help but enforcement
and monitoring remain challenging.
There are legal disposal contractors who have been appointed
to buy redundant copper from municipalities and other utilities. They
are there to regulate the processing of the material and to prevent it
from entering the market but there are many illegal operators who
buy copper.
CCTV surveillance videos exist of scrap copper being delivered
by workers driving an electrical contractor’s company vehicle to an
Today’s industry harmed by
copper theft
E Swanepoel, Copper Development Association Africa (CDAA)
The theft of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, particularly copper,
has increased drastically in recent times. Its place in a discussion
on energy efficiency is appropriate as the scale of theft has
escalated beyond imagination causing crippling power outages
throughout the country, harming business, industry and lives.
illegal metal trader operating locally. The video footage shows the
vehicle entering the back of a bottle store’s premises – the ‘front’
for the illegal metal trader’s operation – and the workers unloading
copper cable. This video footage proves that every electrical contrac-
tor is vulnerable: employees steal cable and sell it to an illegal trader,
implicating the contractor, who may find himself being arrested and
having to explain the stolen cable to the police. Substantial rewards
are offered for related information.
South African Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (Sacci)
Copper theft barometer: April 2014
The Sacci Copper Theft Barometer for 2014 increased to R12,5 M in
April from R11 M in March and R10,7 M in February. The April figure
is 26% higher than a year before and the second consecutive increase
in the annual growth rate. Hopefully this upward movement can be
arrested through intensification of policing efforts and information-shar-
ing amongst key stakeholders.
Conclusion
Legitimate scrap metal dealers can be particularly helpful in the fight
against copper theft by reporting stolen material and not buying any
metal they believe may have been stolen. When there is no demand,
the supply will also cease.
General awareness of the seriousness of copper theft would be
extremely useful, particularly if the awareness is spread through the
community to law enforcement and justice departments as this will
lead to more severe sentences being imposed by the court, which
will ultimately serve as a deterrent.
The Copper Development Association Africa (CDAA) is engaging
with government to change the laws controlling the export of copper
scrap as the current legislation is totally inadequate. The CDAA is
keen to expand the use of copper into Africa. The CDAA would like
to partner with government and the mines to pursue the downstream
beneficiation of copper and produce copper products to benefit all the
people of Africa. The production of copper tops for bedside, over-bed
tables, door handles, push plates and Intravenous (IV) stands will also
create job opportunities and reduce unemployment.
General discussion
Copper in healthcare
The CDAA is actively working to develop the downstream production
of copper items, particularly in the healthcare sector by highlighting
the dangers of HAIs (Hospital Acquired Infections) in hospitals and
clinics. Thousands of patients die in hospitals every year as a result
of infections contracted in healthcare facilities. In future, these deaths
Copper is synonymous with electric energy. This special metal is more
than just ‘a good conductor of electricity’. Theft of copper has become
a national sport and no review of energy can avoid ‘the elephant in the
room’: How are we doing in reducing the costs and damage associated
with copper theft?
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY MADE SIMPLE 2015