Cable theft costs Telkom R100m

The rising international price for copper has caused Telkom's cables to become a major target for criminals. This has forced the telecommunications utility to spend R100 million a year on security measures, it says.

Telkom has begun a series of TV advertisements highlighting the theft of its copper cables. The adverts re-enact how the cables are stolen, with the most common method being the cutting of cable at two manhole points and the section being pulled out by a truck.

Lulu Letlape, Telkom's group executive for corporate communications, says the cable theft problem has increased over the years, as the rising international price of copper has made criminal activity more lucrative.

The international copper price recently surged, as continued economic growth in countries such as China, India and Brazil boosted the prices of non-ferrous metals. Copper increased from about $2.14 an ounce at the beginning of this year, to $3.14 an ounce currently, and it could rise further.

"The problem is not unique to SA. Many other countries, such as India and China, are also experiencing the problem, when they hardly had any instances in the past," she says.

Telkom will not reveal how much of a problem cable theft is causing. However, sources within the company say that, at times, more than half the line faults reported at the national operations centre can be attributed to cable theft.

"At times, it seems the criminals are stealing the infrastructure from under our noses. It is a serious problem. The R100 million that Telkom is forced to spend on security measures alone is equal to the annual phone bill for a large municipality such as Cape Town," one source says.

Another problem is that criminals face mediocre and outdated laws that no longer serve as a deterrent.

This could change as the Second Hand Goods Act - regulating the resale of articles - is being revised and should be promulgated by April, Letlape says.

She says Telkom is working with the SA Police Service and is part of Business Against Crime's non-ferrous theft-combating committee. However, these efforts depend on people reporting cases of theft to either Telkom or the police, she adds.