A woman is seen looking at her cellphone File Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives
Durban: Vodacom has boosted security measures during the festive season in KwaZulu-Natal to address base station vandalism and battery theft.
The crimes generally spikes during this time of the year.
Vodacom KZN regional managing executive Imran Khan said that every month, the region experiences over 100 incidents of vandalism and 167 incidents of battery theft at sites, which equates to 520 batteries stolen to date.
“Vandalism and battery theft is one of the big issues that we are contending with across the regions, but we are not sitting on our laurels, we are fighting with everything we have to protect our infrastructure, so that we can continue to provide connectivity for our customers across the province,” he said.
He noted that the situation has gotten so serious that currently, 351 of their sites have no batteries.
“This is reversing the gains that we have made in bridging the digital divide across the province. The cost of the impact of vandalism and theft goes beyond just the equipment and resources required for restoration. It disrupts network services, causing downtime for customers and affecting communities that rely on connectivity,” said Khan.
According to Khan, cellular base stations often serve as the only form of connectivity for many communities, especially in remote areas.
He said when these sites are vandalised or batteries are stolen, thousands of residents are left without vital communication.
This not only affects individuals and small businesses but also has serious consequences in emergency situations, where making a call can be a matter of life and death, he said.
Vodacom said the cost of restoring connectivity after such incidents amounts to about R70 000 per site, which could otherwise be invested in network upgrades and rural expansion.
“Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal region has implemented backup power solutions at base station sites. However, this has led to criminals shifting their focus to stealing generators, load cables, diesel, and backup batteries and vandalising generator vaults and battery cabinets. Cable has been stolen in 212 base station sites across the province, with over 8 860 litres of generator diesel stolen and site equipment.”
Khan said to address these issues, Vodacom KZN has invested in robust security measures, including installing security cameras to monitor sites and deploying trained security personnel to respond quickly to any suspicious activity.
He said high-security battery cabinets and hardened site containers have also been installed, which are making it more difficult for criminals to access valuable equipment.
In addition, Khan said the region is working closely with law enforcement agencies, communities, and security companies to arrest thieves, with several cases awaiting trial.
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