EXPORT OF COPPER, ALLOY SCRAP TEMPORARILY BANNED

MBABANE – In a bid to curb the rising incidents of copper theft, government has temporarily banned the export of copper and copper alloy scrap.

This was communicated yesterday by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, in a press statement. He said scrapyards were prohibited from buying or receiving copper and copper alloys of any kind until further notice. He said this ban was implemented with immediate effect and would continue until proper guidelines and regulations on the dealings of the copper and metal scrap had been put in place.

The minister said the ministry would work with agencies at all ports of entry to ensure that trucks did not leave borders loaded with copper and copper alloy scraps. He said the ministry would also engage security forces to ensure compliance with this temporary ban by all concerned. “Meanwhile, all stakeholders are urged to work together in developing and/or aligning on a sustainable long-term policy position on the matter,” he said.

The minister noted that the ministry was working with the various ministries to address, the challenges faced by the country following an increase in the number of theft cases of copper cables and copper-based infrastructure, vandalism and malicious damage of millions of Emalangeni worth of public utility infrastructure.

He said this damage had resulted in the disruption in service provision of some utilities and the citizens they served, which had become costly, especially for those businesses and it inconvenienced the citizens. He said examples of the consequences of the ongoing theft were as follows; companies like Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) estimate copper theft that amount to over E100 million per year.

Internet

The company has since been unable to provide internet services in many parts of the country; Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC), where sections of communities have now started experiencing cable theft, leading to blackouts in those communities and businesses; Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC) has also reported theft of copper-based infrastructure; the Roads Department has long reported cable theft that has led to street lighting being affected and other private entities and properties continue reporting similar incidents at an increasing rate.

The EEC and EPTC welcomed the imposed ban on the export of copper and copper-alloy scrap as a wonderful intervention designed to combat the rampant theft of metals used in electricity infrastructure, among other public infrastructures.

EEC Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager Khaya Mavuso said EEC had over the years played a major role in collaborative efforts with other key stakeholders to create awareness on the theft of copper in the country. Mavuso said indicatives to combat cable theft and vandalism included increased network surveillance, collaboration with communities as well as the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and government entities.  

He said the minister’s pronouncement on the ban was commendable and showed government’s concern and commitment towards fighting the rising incidents of theft of the country’s infrastructure and to ensure business continuity. “EEC is committed to working with government in developing and/or aligning on a sustainable long-term policy position on the matter,” he said.

Welcomed

EPTC Managing Director (MD) Themba Khumalo said they welcomed this move by the government as the company had lost a lot through copper theft.  He noted that in terms of infrastructure, EPTC indeed lost over E100 million per year and if revenue was included, the loss was way above this amount. The MD said they were very excited about the ban. He said they wished it could have come much earlier as not only had the company made the loss, but the country at large.

It was further gathered that upon the publication of the statement by the minister, some scrapyards further informed their staff not to accept copper or copper-alloy scrap. Some of the scrapyards contacted by this publication yesterday said in as much as copper was not their major export, they would comply with the directive. Efforts to get a comment from the Eswatini Scrap Recyclers Association proved futile as its chairperson, identified as Mangaliso, declined to comment. In fact, he asked to be contacted today as by the time he was contacted yesterday he was about to attend church, hence he could not make any comment. Before terminating the call, he highlighted that this would have an impact on some of them.

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