CMY2602
ASSIGNMENT 1
SEMESTER 1 2023
, QUESTION 1
1. Discuss the impact of cable theft in South Africa and indicate whether the current
preventative strategies being implemented are effective in reducing this crime. Substantiate
your answers with relevant examples. (15)
Answer
Cable theft is a form of organised crime that has had a
significant impact on businesses, communities, and the
economy. The South African Chamber of Commerce and
Industry estimates that cable theft costs the SA economy
between R5bn to R7bn a year.
It affects the electricity, telecommunications and transport sectors, and each
year SA’s parastatals spend millions of rands replacing stolen cables and
restoring vandalised infrastructure due to cable theft.
The biggest driver of cable theft is the demand for copper, a commodity that
has played a crucial role in global industrialisation. While the uses for copper
have changed and technology infrastructure has advanced, it is still an
essential component for infrastructure across many industries, including
telecommunications. With copper being a valuable commodity, this has
inevitably created an illicit market for this metal.
able theft has multiple players involved from petty criminals on the ground,
who dig up the copper cables and extract them to sell to dealers, to more
sophisticated and organised structures of the trade.
Once the copper is extracted, it is then sold to dealers and is often illegally
shipped to countries such as China, which is the world’s largest importer of
copper as it uses the metal for construction and manufacturing. In 2020, the
country imported more than 4.6 million tonnes of refined copper.
What impact does cable theft have on communities?
The unlawful extraction of copper cables has a significant impact on
communities as it interrupts many aspects of our lives. Cable theft often
results in affected communities not having electricity supply for days or even
weeks. Cable theft also interferes with the supply of internet connectivity as
well as telephone communication. This crime affects the country’s transport
and communication systems, which are crucial to SA’s economy. All of this
has a dire economic impact on communities as some businesses are unable
This study source was downloaded by 100000855277659 from CourseHero.com on 03-21-2023 05:55:05 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/192564211/CMY2602-Assignment-1-Semester-1-2023pdf/
ASSIGNMENT 1
SEMESTER 1 2023
, QUESTION 1
1. Discuss the impact of cable theft in South Africa and indicate whether the current
preventative strategies being implemented are effective in reducing this crime. Substantiate
your answers with relevant examples. (15)
Answer
Cable theft is a form of organised crime that has had a
significant impact on businesses, communities, and the
economy. The South African Chamber of Commerce and
Industry estimates that cable theft costs the SA economy
between R5bn to R7bn a year.
It affects the electricity, telecommunications and transport sectors, and each
year SA’s parastatals spend millions of rands replacing stolen cables and
restoring vandalised infrastructure due to cable theft.
The biggest driver of cable theft is the demand for copper, a commodity that
has played a crucial role in global industrialisation. While the uses for copper
have changed and technology infrastructure has advanced, it is still an
essential component for infrastructure across many industries, including
telecommunications. With copper being a valuable commodity, this has
inevitably created an illicit market for this metal.
able theft has multiple players involved from petty criminals on the ground,
who dig up the copper cables and extract them to sell to dealers, to more
sophisticated and organised structures of the trade.
Once the copper is extracted, it is then sold to dealers and is often illegally
shipped to countries such as China, which is the world’s largest importer of
copper as it uses the metal for construction and manufacturing. In 2020, the
country imported more than 4.6 million tonnes of refined copper.
What impact does cable theft have on communities?
The unlawful extraction of copper cables has a significant impact on
communities as it interrupts many aspects of our lives. Cable theft often
results in affected communities not having electricity supply for days or even
weeks. Cable theft also interferes with the supply of internet connectivity as
well as telephone communication. This crime affects the country’s transport
and communication systems, which are crucial to SA’s economy. All of this
has a dire economic impact on communities as some businesses are unable
This study source was downloaded by 100000855277659 from CourseHero.com on 03-21-2023 05:55:05 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/192564211/CMY2602-Assignment-1-Semester-1-2023pdf/
