Times Of Swaziland: EEC SUFFERS OVER E3M LOSS IN COPPER THEFT

EEC SUFFERS OVER E3M LOSS IN COPPER THEFT
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BY SABELO MAJOLA on 06/01/2021 01:02:00


MBABANE – Copper theft remains a thorn in the flesh of the Eswatini
Electricity Company (EEC) as it incurred losses amounting to E3 093 257 as a
result of this criminal act.
In the 2019/2020 financial year, the company received reports of a total number
of 44 theft cases (mostly copper theft), five attempted theft cases, four house
break-ins and theft cases and one house break-in with intent to steal.
This is contained in the company’s annual performance report, where the
parastatal committed to improving its security management system by continuing
with implementing preventative strategies to safeguard all its assets and
resources from danger, theft and damage.
Suspects
It was stated in the report that 10 suspects were arrested by the Royal Eswatini
Police Service (REPS) and they all appeared before the different magistrate
courts in the country. Some cases were concluded and the suspects were
prosecuted while some cases are still pending in the courts.
“This financial year the company has incurred a total loss of E3 093 257 as a
result of these criminal cases. Overhead and underground copper cables were
still the main targets for the criminals due to its demand in the ever
increasing market. Vandalism of HT fuse elements continued to be experienced on
the outskirts of Mbabane City during this financial year,” read the report in
part.
The company revealed that the REPS formed a task team to patrol and monitor the
high risk areas.
The parastatal continued to implement strategies to combat copper theft by
attending National Anti-Copper Theft and Non-Ferrous Metals meeting with other
stakeholders such as the REPS, Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation
(EPTC) and others.
The company has representatives in all the various National Anti-Copper Theft
and Non-Ferrous Metals Committees, which were formed by the relevant
stakeholders.
“EEC continued to partner with other stakeholders to fight crime in the
country by being part of the Southern African Regional Police Chief Corporation
Organisation (SARPCCO) operation conducted by the REPS around the country. EEC
played a vital role financially in ensuring that the National Anti-Copper Theft
and Non-Ferrous Metals Campaign launched by the Honourable Prime Minister (the
late Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini) on June 21, 2019 at Mavuso Trade Centre became a
success,” the report stated.
EEC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the REPS for copper theft
related cases.
Awareness
It was stated that the company continued raising copper theft awareness with
other stakeholders such as EPTC and the REPS by engaging the communities through
roadshows and community meetings.
EEC has also used media houses such as Eswatini Television, Eswatini
Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS) and Voice of the Church (VOC) as
part of raising awareness to the public. The company continued to safeguard its
property through physical security and technological solutions.
It revealed that it outsourced physical security to six security service
providers to man its sites.
It has continued with constructing guard houses for the security guards to have
a proper and healthy shelter in compliance with the Occupational Health and
Safety Act. Installations of CCTV cameras and alarm systems are an ongoing
project implemented in phases which will cover all EEC sites.
“The company is a member of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and one of
the sub-committees is the Crime Prevention Working Group (CPWG), where all
vandalism of network infrastructure issues are deliberated and preventative
strategies are outlined for all the utilities,” read the report.
EEC stated that once all the strategies were in place and good partnership with
the relevant stakeholders was maintained, the company envisaged a minimised
crime rate from all aspects of business in the near future.