Copper theft crisis drain millions from BPC
The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) has lost over P88 million to copper cable theft in the past five years, according to information presented in Parliament this week.
Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, told Parliament that the Corporation recorded 11,491 incidents of infrastructure vandalism between 2021 and 2025, with criminals primarily targeting copper-rich airdac service cables.
These cables are commonly used for low-voltage connections and are easy targets due to their high copper content, low installation height, and ease of removal. The financial impact has escalated dramatically in recent years. In 2021, BPC recorded 1,070 incidents with a total cost of P9.8 million. The number dropped to 649 incidents in 2022, with losses of P6.4 million.
However, 2023 saw a sharp increase to 4,467 incidents, resulting in a staggering P34 million loss. In 2024, the figure dropped slightly to 2,695 cases, costing P24 million, while 2025 has already recorded 2,610 incidents, with P14 million lost so far.
These thefts not only drain state resources but also disrupt power supply across the country, affecting households and businesses alike. To tackle the crisis, the Ministry and BPC have deployed Safe
Airdac, a tamper-resistant alternative, increased use of physical and digital surveillance through private security and the Safer City Project, and exploration of cable-tracking and smart alert technologies.
Community cluster forums involving regulators, scrapyard operators, and local authorities have also been introduced to restrict illegal copper trade. Kenewendo said a Cabinet Memorandum has been prepared to prohibit scrap copper trading as an interim measure.