Telkom has expressed “great concern” about copper theft after customers in parts of Randburg, Johannesburg were without service again this week, for the second time this month, after thieves made off with cables.
More than 1 600 business and residential customers have been affected in the Randburg suburbs of Bromhof, Sonneglans, Golden Harvest and parts of Northwold. Affected numbers include those with the 011-791, 011-792 and 011-793 prefixes.
In a statement, Telkom says it has increased security measures in Bromhof and surrounding areas in an effort to stop the theft occurring again.
“Telkom is greatly concerned of the pattern that is emerging in this area and is committed to working with police in the area to curb any recurrences,” says Theo Hess, Telkom’s managing executive for network field services.
“The patterns do tend to change quite quickly, however, and the criminals rapidly move their areas of attack when the security is tightened in a particular area,” he says.
Telkom says the latest incident occurred on Tuesday, 29 May, when cable thieves broke through a concrete manhole roof covering and lock to steal Telkom’s underground cable infrastructure. Telkom has reported the crime and a police investigation is underway.
“Copper cable theft remains a major inhibitor to Telkom’s ability to maintain and improve service levels. We appeal to residents in this area to be on high alert and to report any suspicious activity to Telkom’s 24-hour crime/fraud hotline number, 0800 124 000,” says Hess.
The company says it is installing new copper cable in the area and services will progressively be restored, with full service back by close of business on Friday, 1 June.
Hess says Telkom has adopted various “interventions” in an effort to tackle the copper-theft scourge. These include alarming critical and sensitive cable routes and employing services of armed security firms; deploying various wireless technologies that are alternatives to copper; assessing vulnerable aerial cable routes and, where feasible, burying these; working with the Non-Ferrous Theft Combating Committee under the auspices of Business Against Crime and the SA Police Service; and running campaigns to raise awareness of the company’s crime hotline. — (c) 2012 NewsCentral Media
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