SA minister seeks scrap metal ban over vandalism

A South African minister has called for an export ban on scrap metal amid vandalism of public infrastructure.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said this would ensure there was no external market for the metal that is stolen for sale as scrap.

"There is absolutely no doubt that copper theft and rail theft and other infrastructure theft and vandalism is having a major and disastrous effect on the efficiency of logistics in South Africa,” Mr Gordhan is quoted as saying in parliament.

He said his ministry was looking at measures to deal with the menace.

In January, Kenya imposed a ban on trade in scrap metals to curb rising cases of vandalism of key public installations.

It came as a nationwide power outage was blamed on vandalism of electricity pylons for scrap metal.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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