Evert Swanepoel, chairman of the Copper Development Association South Africa, explained why this kind of theft isn’t as rampant in other countries as in South Africa.
The theft of copper in South Africa is estimated to cost the country R46.5 billion a year, according to the Economic Sabotage of Critical Infrastructure Forum.
“One of the biggest problems we have is the demand for copper globally. The global copper world is worth about 25 million tonnes a year. That is set to increase to about 60 million by 2050,” Swanepoel said in anHe explained that renewable power and electric vehicles are the major drivers behind the expected increased demand.
When asked why this kind of theft isn’t as rampant in other countries as in South Africa, Swanepoel said two aspects make it an attractive commodity for thieves. He explained that the individuals who risk their lives to get a few kilograms of copper — such as in the example above — are merely “foot soldiers”.
“It’s very awkward to do that because once the copper is melted, it’s very difficult to say it’s stolen or not stolen,” he said. He said Copper Development Association Africa is negotiating with government to stop even the legal export of copper and to change specific policies.
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