Telkom reports that its technicians are working around the clock to restore telephone services in the Outspan and Moffat suburbs of City Deep in Johannesburg, following a cable theft that has disrupted telecommunications to businesses and residences in the area.
According to Telkom`s media relations specialist, Xolisa Vapi, the company`s technicians are working hard to resolve the problem, and it is anticipated that services will be restored by 8pm tomorrow.
"Cable theft is a big problem for Telkom, so much so that we have been forced to take drastic steps, such as hiring private security companies to provide armed reaction and patrols, and setting up a series of alarms along cable routes in theft-prone areas," says Vapi.
"Other measures that we are taking include burying certain of the overhead cables and encasing some of the vulnerable network areas in concrete."
He says cable theft costs the organisation a huge amount of money annually, in terms of loss of equipment, labour and personnel to restore the affected network and the costs of fitting a new installation.
"For the year ended March 2002, our costs for cable theft alone were in the region of R250 million, although it appears that our security measures are having an effect, as our costs for the year ended March 2003 were down to around R150 million."
Vapi says that in the case of the City Deep theft, an alarm fitted to the cover of a manhole which houses cable points alerted private security personnel, who rushed to the scene but were too late to apprehend the thieves, who had already taken flight.
"We regularly conduct joint operations with the SA Police Service and have a good record of success, so we are confident we will catch these criminals."
He says cable theft has an enormous impact on those members of the community who have to rely on public telephones to stay in contact, as well as leading to the loss of income for customers whose service is interrupted.
"Worse still is the fact that lives can be endangered because people cannot contact the necessary emergency services."
According to Vapi, the public can report activities that arouse their suspicions by calling 0860-124-000. As an incentive, Telkom rewards people who provide information leading to a successful conviction and/or the recovery of stolen Telkom assets.
Related stories:
Cable thieves disrupt 6 000 communications services in Killarney
Share
