Combating Non-Ferrous Metal Theft & Vandalism Of Public Infrastructure 2024
20-21 June 2024, Garden Court Hotel, OR Tambo Airport
Dear Esteemed Participants,
In the heart of South Africa, where vibrant cultures converge, we face a looming threat that strikes at the very foundation of our society: the theft of non-ferrous metals and the consequential vandalism of public property. As proud South Africans, we will be gathered at the Protea Hotel, OR Tambo Airport, on the 20th and 21st of June 2024, to address this pressing issue that has pervasive implications for our infrastructure and public safety.
Theft of non-ferrous metals has become an escalating crisis, leading to the vandalism of public property and causing disruptions in vital services such as energy supply and transportation networks. Brazen acts of criminality, notably the theft of copper wires from electricity transformers, plunge our nation into darkness, resulting in prolonged load shedding. This not only impacts businesses, leading to financial distress, but also affects individuals who depend on electricity for their daily lives.
This conference adopts a solution-oriented approach, aiming to map out a multi-stakeholder systematic course of action to combat this issue. The key themes to be explored include:
- The Scope: Non-Ferrous Metal Theft & Public Property Vandalism in SA, regionally & globally
- Impact Analysis: Social, Economic, Environmental & Psychological implications
- Stakeholder analysis and plan of action
- Legislative solutions towards prevention
- The role of government entities and the private sector
- Everyone’s Problem: Leveraging business and community-based approaches towards prevention of theft and vandalism
DAY 1
08:30 – 09:00: Welcome Tea and Registration
09:00 – 10:00: Opening Remarks and Introduction
THE SCOPE: VANDALISM OF PUBLIC PROPERTY AND THEFT OF NON-FERROUS METALS
- Implications in South Africa, regionally, and globally
- Previous initiatives: Successes and Failures
- Global and regional best practices
- Looking to 2024 and beyond
10:00 – 11:00: Impact Analysis: Economic, Environmental, and Social Implications
- Facts and statistics to grapple with
- Impact on business and the economy of SA
- Environmental implications
- Social and psychological effects
11:00 – 11:30: Morning Tea Break
11:30 – 12:30: Stakeholder Collaborations: Nothing About Us, Without Us
- Formulating formidable responses
- Identifying and involving crucial stakeholders
- Collaborative interventions
- Stronger together: Law enforcement, government, business, and civil society collaborations
12:30 – 13:30: Case Study: Leveraging the Impact of Stakeholder Engagement
- Driving accountability
- Learning crucial lessons: Imposing heavy business fines on detractors
- Putting money where your mouth is: The business buy-in
13:30 – 14:30: Networking Luncheon
14:30 – 16:00: Policing Best Practices: Strategies to Bolster Preventive Measures
- Policing interventions: Successes, failures, and gray areas
- Provincial and national crime breakdowns
- Identifying theft hotspot areas
- Prosecution analytics
- Legislative challenges
16:00: Afternoon Tea Break, Networking & End of Day 1
DAY 2
08:30 – 09:00: Welcome Tea and Registration
09:00 – 10:00: Recap of Day 1
10:00 – 11:00: Leveraging the Role of Government in the Prevention of Vandalism of Property
- Spreading messages to change public opinion
- Making the general public understand that state resources belong to them, not the government
- Campaigning for involvement from the grassroots up to the corporate level
11:00 – 12:00: Together We Can: NGO and Community Involvement
- Strategic action planning
- Community outreach programs
- Supporting NGO initiatives towards prevention
- Using the community to safeguard community resources
- Strategies for Improvement
12:00 – 12:30: Morning Break
12:30 – 13:30: Using Technological Advances and Inventions to Safeguard State Property
- Using tracking devices and trigger alarms to safeguard properties
- Innovative breakthroughs in property management
- Involving technical giants in mapping out technological solutions
- Role of law enforcement officers
13:30 – 14:30: Resolutions, Strategies, and Future Outlook: 2024 and Beyond
- Divorcing public resources from politics
- State resources belong to all the people and not just a selected few
- Emphasis on collaborative action
- Reiterating the individual role in respecting and protecting state property
- What next? Beyond 2024
14:30 – 15:00: Certificates
15:00 – 16:00: Closing Remarks and Networking Luncheon