South Africans are correct to repeat their calls to Parliament over and over, week after week, for much harsher action against cable theft. As you have noticed from this column, I am doing the same. Sowetans last week even sacrificed their free Sunday time to deliver the message in no uncertain terms that owners of scrapyards who buy stolen cables must be made to face severe prison terms.
Repeatedly, the point is made that cable theft is having a devastatingly negative impact, not the least being the way it is slashing foreign exchange inflow by disrupting the export of railed commodities.
Access to less foreign exchange through cable theft is weakening the rand, which is in turn adding to the inflation of basic foodstuffs for South Africans who are already struggling to make ends meet. Everywhere Parliament has held public hearings on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill it has received the same crystal-clear message – cable theft must be stopped forthwith. Its far-reaching knock-on effect must not be tolerated any longer.