SCRAP METALS

Eagle eye for scrap metal dealers
Nie Cele
Asiphe Cokile
Proliferation of scrap metals and the connection of stolen goods in Gauteng will soon be monitored by a specialized task team. This was revealed by the bellicose Community Safety MEC ,Nkosi Malobane at a recent briefing preceded by the department’s cluster’s quarterly review session in Melrose,Johannesburg.
Malobane said that this was another way of making sure that the security cluster was winning the war on stolen goods. At first she bemoaned the shocking statistics of these nefarious acts. “This is important to protect both our economic and social infrastructure in the province.” She also promised that scrap metal dealers will be engaged and instructed to comply with the law.
Gauteng Commisioner of Police, Lieutenant General Lesetja Mothiba , explained that dealers will be expected to keep a register of everyone who sell scrap to them. “If people keep on buying stolen goods, we might end up using gates made out of plastic.”
Mothiba also noted that the building of police stations in the province was not moving at the pace at which settlements are growing. “To expand the provision of services , there will be improved cooperation between the SAPS and the Metropolitan Police Departments including where possible, utilizing Metro Police buildings as access points for the public.” He also hinted that consideration is also being given to use government buildings that are currently not being used to alleviate the space problem.