Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
The City of Cape Town recently submitted comments on the department’s draft policy proposals on measures to restrict and regulate metal theft and associated illicit activities. Though Cape Town generally supports the national government’s proposed interventions, the city does not support the ban on exports. Metal theft and associated illicit activities are by and large a law enforcement problem and not a trade policy problem.
Imposing such a ban on a temporary basis should be linked to specific objectives to strengthen controls to prevent the trade and export of stolen metals. However, the impact of such a measure is questionable as criminals could bypass legal export channels, or simply stockpile stolen goods and sell them after such a ban is lifted. I would also like to point out that previous bans have done little to prevent metal theft and only added to the economic woes of the struggling steel industry.
In Cape Town, increased instances of cable theft have had a costly impact on the city’s infrastructure, and Capetonians have had to bear the brunt of these crimes through affected service delivery and public transport. The city’s metal theft unit does sterling work to combat cable theft and safeguard city infrastructure. From January 1 2021 to August 29 this year it has arrested 340 suspects on charges relating to the theft of cables or damage to public infrastructure.
Metal theft and the illicit trade therein is organised crime, and we need more policing powers to help bust open these criminal networks. That is why on August 18 I wrote to and called on police minister Bheki Cele and justice & correctional services minister Ronald Lomola to extend the city’s policing powers by empowering our metro police to conduct criminal investigations and augment the powers of our law enforcement officers to combat metal theft.
I am convinced that with more policing powers we can win the war against metal theft and the illicit trade therein.
Geordin Hill-Lewis Cape Town mayor
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Metal theft not a trade policy problem
I am pleased to read that the EU has objected to the department of trade, industry & competition’s proposed ban on scrap metal exports (“EU objects to SA government plan to ban scrap metal exports”, September 2).
The City of Cape Town recently submitted comments on the department’s draft policy proposals on measures to restrict and regulate metal theft and associated illicit activities. Though Cape Town generally supports the national government’s proposed interventions, the city does not support the ban on exports. Metal theft and associated illicit activities are by and large a law enforcement problem and not a trade policy problem.
Imposing such a ban on a temporary basis should be linked to specific objectives to strengthen controls to prevent the trade and export of stolen metals. However, the impact of such a measure is questionable as criminals could bypass legal export channels, or simply stockpile stolen goods and sell them after such a ban is lifted. I would also like to point out that previous bans have done little to prevent metal theft and only added to the economic woes of the struggling steel industry.
In Cape Town, increased instances of cable theft have had a costly impact on the city’s infrastructure, and Capetonians have had to bear the brunt of these crimes through affected service delivery and public transport. The city’s metal theft unit does sterling work to combat cable theft and safeguard city infrastructure. From January 1 2021 to August 29 this year it has arrested 340 suspects on charges relating to the theft of cables or damage to public infrastructure.
Metal theft and the illicit trade therein is organised crime, and we need more policing powers to help bust open these criminal networks. That is why on August 18 I wrote to and called on police minister Bheki Cele and justice & correctional services minister Ronald Lomola to extend the city’s policing powers by empowering our metro police to conduct criminal investigations and augment the powers of our law enforcement officers to combat metal theft.
I am convinced that with more policing powers we can win the war against metal theft and the illicit trade therein.
Geordin Hill-Lewis
Cape Town mayor
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Only one in five of Prasa’s train stations still functional
Transnet wants ‘amicable settlement’ after wage talks collapse
Recycling lobby objects to proposed ban on scrap metal exports
Patel explains the need for ban on scrap metal exports
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
EU objects to SA government plan to ban scrap metal exports
State-owned companies collaborate to curb infrastructure theft and vandalism
Question marks over consultation process for proposed ban on scrap metal exports
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.