eMbalenhle Police warn scrap metal dealers to comply
According to the scrap metal business regulations, these businesses must have registers to register all items received or sold.
Police in eMbalenhle met with the scrap metal dealers at the eMbalenhle Police Station on Thursday, July 28, to discuss the failure to comply with the scrap business regulations.
According to Const Busi Mthethwa, eMbalenhle Police spokesperson, said some of the scrap metal businesses in eMbalenhle do not follow their license regulations.
Mthethwa said some of these businesses sell goods on the same day they received them, while the law specifies items may only be sold or disposed of after seven days.
“According to the scrap metal business regulations, these businesses must have registers to register all items received or sold.
“It is compulsory that anyone who wants to sell scrap metal to a business, must be in possession of an identity document, and it is the businessman’s responsibility to make a copy of that document.
“It assists the police in their investigations.
“When someone reports stolen gates, palisades or copper cables, and we find it at a scrap metal business, the business should provide us with a copy of the ID of the person who sold that particular item to the scrap dealer.
“If the scrap dealer fails to provide us with such, the business is liable and a theft case is opened against that business. The person who bought that item will then be arrested,” said Mthethwa.
She also warned these scrap dealers to have all the required documents available when the police visit their businesses.
“Failure to do so will result in the suspension of the business’ operating license.”
The police also advised these businesses to have managers for their businesses.
Scrap metal businesses should have managers as it is one of their license requirements and those managers are compelled to do fingerprint screening to check if they have criminal records.
“If he or she is found to have a criminal record, they will not be allowed to manage that particular scrap metal business,” said Mthethwa.
A nyaope addict was beaten to death by the community in Ext 22 last year because he was caught stealing a steel burglar door.
Mthethwa previously told Ridge Times they have many cases and complaints against scrap-metal businesses in eMbalenhle.
Mthethwa said those cases stem from suspected stolen goods bought by recycling companies.
Mthethwa also said scrap recyclers sometimes buy materials that are stolen from the community infrastructure through vandalism and community members complain to the police because they are fed up with vandals who break everything.
