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The every-increasing theft of back-up batteries and vandalism of infrastructure across the country has resulted in mobile network operators having to shut down some of their cellphone towers, leading to strain on the wider network and diminishing quality of coverage in certain parts of the country, notes MTN.

Then there are the outages and network downtime that needs to be factored in whilst operators replace lost batteries, repair damage to sites, and correct and maintain the towers – leaving South Africans without cellphone and internet connectivity for undeterminable periods of time.

“Although great strides have been made in the prevention and recovery of stolen batteries, it is still a concern, says Ernest Paul, general manager: MTN Network Operations. He went on to state that crime spikes in December, which means that more batteries may be stolen – and more consumers may be left unconnected.

“Battery theft is a crime that compromises the safety and welfare of every South African, but it is not a crime that we can fight alone. We therefore appeal to all South Africans to ‘help us help you’ by reporting any theft, vandalism or suspicious activity that you see, hear of or come across. We are doing our part and together with SAPS and other law enforcement authorities, we are making headway, but we need assistance from the public,” concludes Paul.

Members of the public are urged to report suspected battery theft cases to:

Bidvest Protea Coin Hotline – Call 086 101 1721

@MTNza Fraud Line – Call 083 123 7867

Or email anonymous@tipoffs.com