Published: 26 May 2014

The Ministry of Home Affairs has taken over the licensing of copper traders to reduce smuggling, Parliament heard yesterday.

Home Affairs permanent secretary Melusi Matshiya told the Senate Committee on Peace and Security that previously the ministries of Industry and Mines did the licensing.

Since the take-over, the number of companies involved in the business have declined to five.

"People will say, why Home Affairs? It is because there is criminality involved that is why the licensing is not being done by the Ministry of Industry or Ministry of Mines," he said.

He said a strict procedure which involved investigations and clearance by the police before licensing had been adopted.

"That has helped us to reduce the number of licenses to five," he said.

"If you are not engaged in bona fide activity, you disqualify yourself from getting the license," he added.

Companies would also require supporting letters from the ministries of industry and mines.

Among the licensed firms are power utility Zesa Holdings and telecommunications operator Tel One.

The two firms have recorded huge losses as copper cables used for transmission have been stolen at various points. He said copper smuggling was a lucrative transnational crime.

"People look at a market. If there is a market elsewhere then people will try to take it there," he said, adding that the police had recently impounded a truck coming from Zambia loaded with copper cables.

"People steal those cables, burn them up and come up with a new product."

- New Ziana

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