Cable theft causing delays for exporters

Public Enterprises Minister, Barbara Hogan, said cable theft along railway lines is causing exporters in Gauteng massive delays in getting their goods to harbours.

Delays were being experienced on the Johannesburg to Durban route due to the theft of the overhead copper cables.

"The average transit time for containers on the Johannesburg to Durban corridor (NATCOR) is 19 hours. Delays have been experienced on the NATCOR due to theft of overhead copper cable. Containers from Gauteng to Port Elizabeth/Ngqura take 40 hours to reach the destination because of cable theft in Gauteng. The transit time of containers to and from Cape Town is 46 hours, while the design is 36 hours of transit time," said Hogan.

There have been steps taken to counter this and it includes converting the copper cables to "tiger wire" and increasing the number of security guards in "hotspot" crime areas.

The minister said her department had also developed a joint working relationship with the National Intelligence Agency and the National Prosecuting Authority, which has resulted in the apprehension and conviction of cable thieves.