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Woensdag, 17 Februarie 2021 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | e-pos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
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Bonteheuwel, Goodwood, Netreg and Parow train stations have been identified as cable theft hotspots. Metrorail’s Riana Scott said burglaries at stations and offices mushroomed as lockdown progressed and the economic situation became more dire.
GROWING SCRAP METAL DEMAND: NORTHERN LINE PILFERED
Cable theft still on the rise TARRYN-LEIGH SOLOMONS @tarryns07
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onteheuwel, Goodwood, Netreg and Parow train stations have been identified as cable theft hotspots. This is according to Metrorail spokesperson, Riana Scott who added that additional train stations include Heideveld, Firgrove, Khayelitsha, Kapteinsklip and Nyanga. Scott told TygerBurger until the demand for scrap metal drops, opportunistic criminals will continue harvesting metal. “Most offenders have received effective
imprisonment as well as suspended terms and been declared unfit to possess firearms. The offenders are in the main the foot soldiers of the brains behind the syndicates and due to rife unemployment there is an unending supply of hapless individuals driven by drug addiction, gang affiliations and poverty to replace them. In the Western Cape not a single scrap dealer or bucket shop has been closed yet. ‘Trolley’ thieves are the minority. The export of scrap metal also continues unabated and appears poorly regulated. “In addition to the usual metal theft and vandalism, pilfering and burglaries at sta-
tions and offices and theft mushroomed as lockdown progressed and the economic situation became more dire. In addition metal, gates, doors, tiles, bathroom fittings (wash basins, taps) and office furniture and goods were stolen,” she said. Last year, Scott revealed that R1.2 billion had been set aside to restore the required infrastructure along Metrorail’s central line. Vandalism on the central line, which runs along Bonteheuwel and Netreg, has been a growing concern for Metrorail. She explained the restoration process includes the walling of critical areas to protect the newly
built infrastructure. “Significant portions of the electrical infrastructure (overhead lines, mass poles, sub-stations), tracks and some stations have been either vandalised beyond repair or completely removed by vandals. In addition illegal electrical connections ingress onto the rail reserve, sewerage is disposed of onto tracks by informal settlements along portions of the route, sporadic gang turf wars and frequent service delivery protests make it impossible to restore services without major intervention. V To page 2
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