7 February 2008: A Colloquial Introduction to Non-Ferrous Metal Theft

In the world of metals, there are performers and supporters, much the same as in the human world. Performers are protected and revered while supporters go about their daily business unnoticed and unremarkable – until, that is, they disappear.

Precious metals such as gold and platinum are sought after for their beauty and ornamental value. These metals are worn with pride as symbols of wealth. In the human world, these would be the performers: the actors, the musicians and the sports stars.

Non-ferrous metals are the equivalent of blue-collar workers. Think, for example, of the copper pipes that supply water and gas to your house. These supporters are at the core of the electrical cables that bring electricity to every electrical light and appliance that you use. They make up the cabling in the communications network and public transportation systems that we use.

If the world loses a performer, it is front-page news internationally. People sit up and take notice, everyone is sad and appalled. The recent death of Heath Ledger provides a poignant example.

If supporting metals such as copper, aluminium, brass, stainless steel, lead or numerous other types of hardworking metals are lost, even local newspapers scarcely report the incident. This is similar to what would happen if a community lost an electrician, boilermaker, mechanic, a builder or carpenter. Such a loss might warrant five lines in the obituary section of the local rag.

Our lives may revolve around entertainment and social interaction but the rotation is made possible by non-ferrous metals. The loss of non-ferrous metals can disrupt our whole existence. These lowly supporters form the basic building blocks of modern life. You find non-ferrous metals supporting every aspect of your daily life from the moment you wake up and switch on the light to bedtime when you go to sleep on a coil spring mattress.

The theft of these lowly metals is an international occurrence. It poses a threat to the economies of many countries and to the safety of their citizens. One obvious example is the mining industry, which relies heavily on a guaranteed electrical supply. If the wrong cable is stolen a deep mine, such as one of those found in South Africa, would be hard pressed to extract its workers from the mine shaft. Deaths could easily result.

The lure of this group of metals is linked to its increase in value over the last decade and its ease of acquisition. The value of copper has increased from less than 2000 USD per tonne in 1998 to more than 7000 USD in 2008, a trend followed by many other metals in the non-ferrous metal grouping.

Until recently there was no real or perceived threat to the use of non-ferrous metals in exterior applications. The security of these metals was not taken into consideration during installation or construction. These metals were used in plain sight to protect more valuable components. As a result these metals can easily be identified and ‘harvested’ by criminals.

At first glance, the situation gives the impression that companies, including government, have to enhance their efforts to secure the non-ferrous metals they have custody over. The problem is, however, more complex. Consider, for example, the challenge that ESKOM faces. Firstly, there are the long distances that electrical cabling must cover in order to supply electricity to rural areas; making these cables extremely vulnerable to theft. They are almost impossible to protect because it is too costly. Secondly, load shedding removes any deterrent value linked to the danger of being killed by electrocution when tampering with electrical cables. The schedules are published on the Internet to assist consumers that will be affected with planning, but this also assists prospective illegal cable harvesters in planning their next theft.

The telecommunications service provider, TELKOM, is in an even greater bind, as it does not even have the limited threat of electrocution to deter would-be cable thieves. The voltage in telecommunication cabling is relatively low and the thief stands very little chance of being electrocuted in the cutting process. The distances covered by copper communication cables are enormous and it is impossible to physically protect every meter of the cable network.

Governments throughout the world must change their attitude. Non-ferrous metal theft is a real economic threat that can cripple a country’s industry and significantly undermine its attractiveness to foreign investors. African countries, rife with poverty and displaced citizens, are particularly vulnerable to non-ferrous metal theft and should be the first to make a concerted effort to address the threat.

Changing Government attitudes and stricter application of relevant law may turn the tide of non-ferrous metal flowing from African shores. We need to act now, before we are left to fumble in the dark.

Ben Coetzee, Senior Researcher: Arms Management Programme, ISS Tshwane (Pretoria)