MBABANE:Copper theft is reversing the national development advances made over the years, Themba Khumalo, the Managing Director of the Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation(EPTC) told this Swaziland News on Thursday.
The Managing Director(MD) was responding to a questionnaire from this publication,after being asked if the telecoms company was not considering to fully adopt wireless infrastructure amid escalating copper theft cases.
“Copper theft has indeed become a global problem; with copper cable deployment in the country extending well beyond 60 years.The thefts are reversing the development advances made over a longtime, taking the country and many others back into the dark ages.EPTC has at great cost opted for other technologies using wireless and non-copper based transmission mediums.We had to adopt a zero copper investment policy since about a year ago.Most communities have taken drastic measures in dealing with some of the apprehended culprits,” said the EPTC Managing Director.
The Eswatini Telecoms MD added that the ban of copper exports has so far not made an impact.
“We appreciate the efforts of our courts in increasingly meting commensurate sentences. Many other countries have introduced more punitive legislation to decidedly deal with perpetrators, and beneficiaries of the crime.This is all in the interest of protecting national infrastructure and improving the lives and security of the people,” he said.
Eswatini Telecoms MD Themba Khumalo.