ESWATINI Electricity Company (EEC) has reported losses amounting to E2.3 million this year, as a result of copper theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure.
The organisation said copper theft remained one of the major challenges affecting power supply reliability, operational costs and infrastructure maintenance across the country.
According to EEC’s annual report, stolen copper components include overhead conductors, transformer parts, earthing materials and substation equipment resulting in service disruptions and costly repairs.
EEC indicated that incidents of copper theft have led to power outages affecting residential areas, businesses and critical services including health facilities and water pumping stations.
According to the report, the losses added pressure to the company’s maintenance budget, which was already strained by rising equipment costs and expanding electricity demand.
“The reported losses cover replacement of stolen materials, emergency repairs, labour costs and system restoration as well as revenue losses incurred during outages,” reads the report.
In some cases, vandalism damaged infrastructure beyond repair requiring the complete replacement of affected components.
EEC said continued vandalism undermined efforts to expand and modernise the electricity network, particularly in rural and developing areas.
The entity noted that copper theft not only affected electricity supply, but also posed serious safety risks, as vandalised power lines and exposed equipment can lead to electrocution, fires and accidents.
EEC said it would continue to work with law enforcement agencies and communities to curb the theft of copper, however enforcement remained challenging under existing legislation.
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The reported losses come amid broader national concerns over infrastructure vandalism which affected multiple sectors including telecommunications, water supply and transport.
EEC has increased security measures at substations and along transmission lines, including patrols and surveillance, but said these measures significantly increase operational costs.
The utility also conducted public awareness campaigns to discourage vandalism and encourage communities to report suspicious activity.
Worth noting, copper theft remains one of the leading causes of unplanned power outages with EEC warning that the problem could escalate if not addressed through stronger legal and enforcement mechanisms.
The company urged members of the public to report infrastructure vandalism, stressing that electricity infrastructure was a shared national asset essential to economic growth and public safety.
Meanwhile, government statistics show that copper theft had been a persistent problem, with criminals targeting infrastructure due to the resale value of copper on the black market.
The utility welcomed government efforts to strengthen legislation aimed at protecting critical infrastructure, noting that harsher penalties could serve as a deterrent to organised theft syndicates.
