South African mobile operator Vodacom is intensifying its security measures around base stations in the Free State and Northern Cape to curb the rising theft of backup power solutions, and vandalism at base station sites.
The entity blames the ongoing load shedding which the syndicates take full advantage of to damage essential infrastructure, and steal backup power solutions which include generators and batteries as well as cables.
Backup power solutions are necessary for keeping operations online during load shedding. The minimum cost for a brand-new battery is R28 000, while syndicates stealing these items are reportedly selling them for as little as R5 000 on the black market.
Evah Mthimunye, managing executive of Vodacom central region, said the spate of vandalism occurs at 15 to 28 sites per month during which syndicates stole between 18 and 30 batteries in the central region. She said the theft impacted negatively in Welkom, the northern Free State, and Northern Cape areas.
“Vodacom central region has increased its security measures by installing CCTV cameras to monitor base station sites and capture suspicious activities, deploying armed response in the event of an intrusion. High-quality, hardened security cabinets are being utilised to safeguard essential infrastructure, such as batteries, with steel-clad containers equipped with alarms to deter unauthorised access,” said Mthimunye.
She lamented the costs of repair and replacing stolen backup solutions.
“Theft and vandalism at our base stations continue to be a challenge. The situation worsens during winter. These criminal activities cause disruptions to network services, resulting in frequent downtime for customers. The consequences go beyond the costs of repairing and restoring infrastructure.
“They have a significant impact on communities that depend on connectivity as a vital lifeline,” said Mthimunye.
She said syndicates were targeting generators which are used as backup base stations.
“These syndicates are targeting generators, batteries, cables, wheels and diesel at these sites, exacerbating the situation,” said Mthimunye.
