The threat posed by non-ferrous metal theft to industries in South Africa is substantial
but is also regarded with indifference. A reason for this view may be that the criminal act
is ordinarily not accompanied by violence and the target of the crime is an object that is
far removed from the vicinity of the majority of South Africans. Non-ferrous metal theft
may sometimes even be erroneously termed a victimless crime. This study endeavours to
shed light on the complexities of non-ferrous metal theft and the industrial dangers that
may be suffered if this crime is not eradicated. A case study from the mining industry
was used to examine the nature and extent of non-ferrous metal theft. A mixed methods
approach was followed in terms of which qualitative and quantitative research was done
sequentially to provide the best possible representation of the situation. The participant
allowed access to data over a six-year period as well as access to mine employees for
interviews to assist with understanding the safety and security measures that the mine
put in place to protect its workforce. This information led to another realisation, namely
that if non-ferrous metal thieves cut an electricity supply line that is critical for life
support and transportation in the mine, mineworkers may succumb to the harsh
conditions underground. It also became evident that the police and the criminal justice
system must develop a better understanding of the seriousness of non-ferrous metal
theft. If this does not happen in the near future, managing the consequences of nonferrous
metal theft at South African mines will become a mammoth task. Such mines and
other industries affected by non-ferrous metal related theft must collaborate with each
other and the police in order to understand the nature of the crime and to ensure that
the prosecution of the perpetrators is handled properly. These industries should also
subscribe to a pragmatic approach to crime prevention whereby various components
from different crime prevention strategies are used to address the issues being
experienced and whereby a unique crime prevention model for each industry and mining
site can be developed. / Police Practice / M.A. (Policing)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/13332 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Coetzee, Ben |
| Contributors | Snyman, H. F. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 online resource (xiii, 172 p.) : ill. (some col.) |
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