Railway transformer copper thefts in Durban could cause injury or death to passengers
Bayhead transformer theft threatens Durban’s rail service and can cause injury or death to passengers.
Transformer copper thefts are particularly prominent in the Bayhead area near Transnet’s railways lines.
Railway transformer Durban SA
Brighton Beach SAPS warns of a sharp increase in thefts. The transformers are disassembled and the components sold to scrap metal dealerships. The value of such transformers is about R3,500 and it is stripped for copper valued at just R85 which is retrieved from the transformer.
“The theft of these transformers affects the effective and efficient functioning of passenger and goods trains,” said Brighton Beach SAPS spokesman Capt Louise Le Roux. “Transformers regulate electrical signals and regulate the control of pressure points for trains.
Their theft can result in the derailing of passenger and goods trains, which can cause injury or death to passengers and damage to items in transit, as well as the train itself. The theft of these transformers delays departure and arrival times of passenger and goods trains, and also damage the infrastructure of the rail reserve.”
Content by southlandssun.co.za
