Street light among stolen items seized in Isipingo scrapyard raid

A raid on second hand goods (SHG) dealers in the South last week yielded many successes, with a municipality street light unit, copper cabling and illegal metals among the items confiscated and illegal electricity disconnected.

Arrests for non-compliance of the Second-Hand Goods Act were also made by police.
Reunion Railway Police, Rapid Rail, PRASA, Metro Special Project Unit, eThekwini Municipality, Mainline Cross Border Police, Umkomaas, Umlazi, Amanzimtoti, Umbumbulu and Isipingo SAPS’ designated SHG officers held a joint raid in eThekwini Outer South cluster to address illegal metals being received and sold by scrap metal businesses in the cluster.

Over 60 policemen and women from the departments swooped on scrap metal businesses in Isipingo and Umlazi to address the issue of illegal metals being received and to check if the dealers complied with the provisions of the Seconds Goods Act.

Illegal metals such as railway lines, municipality lights, electrical wiring, transformers and various copper cabling were targeted by the SAPS. The theft of these metals has dangerous repercussions when stolen for scrap metal. When railway lines and transformers are stolen or copper cables taken, it can cause train derailments, electrocutions and blackouts.

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“SAPS and its partners are committed to ensure regular inspections will continue at second-hand and scrap dealers to limit the theft of copper cabling and illegal metals,” said eThekwini Outer South acting cluster commander Brigadier MVP Mgobhozi.

“Unannounced visits and inspections will definitely be done on a regular basis. A strong warning is sent to all second-hand and scrap metal businesses to comply with all prescriptions of the Second Hands Good Act when receiving goods.

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It is important to work together for the good of the community. Crimes connected to the theft of copper wiring and railway transformers leave communities in the dark and in danger. If we can make copper wiring and illegal metals deemed worthless, because our scrap metal owners will not purchase these illegal metals, we will be able to prevent theft which will bring security to the infrastructure of our many communities.

It starts with our scrap yards adhering to the Second Goods Act. We will continue to inspect all scrap yards on a regular basis to ensure there is no copper cable and illegal metal theft.”