Buffalo City Metro slams scrapyard dealer

The Buffalo City Metro has slammed a scrapyard business for purchasing cables which were stolen in Duncan Village, a township outside East London.

BUFFALO CITY METRO WANTS HARSH PUNISHMENT FOR SCRAPYARD DEALDERS

According to Buffalo City Metro, Ward 1 in Duncan Village was plunged into darkness after cables were stolen over the weekend and this prompted residents to act.

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“The community apprehended one of the suspects who led them to a scrapyard dealership in Amalinda where he allegedly sold the cables.”

Buffalo City Metro

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METRO OPENS A CASE AGAINST THE SCRAP DEALER

BCM Revenue Protection officers went to the Duncan Village police station to open a case against the suspects apprehended by the community.

The Metro cited that the dealer might also get charged depending on their involvement and the processes they used in procuring the stolen goods.

“The Municipality is on record calling for tougher sanctions against scrapyard dealers who continue purchasing cables and government equipment. Rogue scrapyards are at the centre of the cable theft problem. Such dealers are basically the reason why criminals have a market for this crime,” BCM stated.

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“We want to also call on the business community to partner with us and bolster our efforts to deal a decisive blow to the criminality that is enabled by scrap dealers buying stolen scrap metal from anyone without ownership proof.
While we want to work with them to help us in dealing with this problem, we have realised that some of them are part of the problem,” BCM added.

METRO SUPPORTS THE REGULATION OF SCRAP METAL TRADE

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has gazetted its draft policy proposals to regulate and restrict the trade of scrap metal in South Africa for public comment.

Buffalo City Metro added it supports the call for imposing a six-month ban on the exports of scrap metal from South Africa.

“Restrictions on who can sell scrap metal and the adding of requirements that buyers only purchase from registered sellers is the only solution.
It will help us manage the overwhelming wave of cable theft looters who are currently making use of an unrestricted black market,” BCM further weighed in.

This is a developing story.