SAPS secures 2 000 convictions for infrastructure crimes

POLICE have secured more than 2 000 convictions in cases related to non-ferrous metals and essential infrastructure crimes across the country in the past six financial years.

The 2285 convictions stemmed from the nearly 70 000 reported cases of copper theft.

This emerged in replies by Police Minister Bheki Cele to parliamentary questions from Cope MP Teboho Loate.

Loate enquired whether specialised units within the SAPS dedicated to infrastructure protection were established to respond swiftly to incidents and focus on prevention of theft of essential infrastructure from February 2018.

Cele said the police have no specialised units but do have a total of 20 Economic Infrastructure Task Teams (EITTs).

“Eighteen Economic Infrastructure Task Teams were established at district level and two at provincial level within priority areas in the provinces to address non-ferrous metal, essential infrastructure, critical infrastructure and extortion related crimes since 2022,” he said.

Cele said the SAPS have also established the Energy Safety and Security Priority Committee as well as the National Logistics Crisis Committee to address matters within the Eskom and Transnet environments, respectively.

This was to ensure there was consistency in securing the national power grid and effective operation of the freight rail and port systems in South Africa.

According to the replies furnished by Cele, a total of 69 881 non-ferrous metal and essential infrastructure related-cases have been reported since 2018.