In response to vandalism, a South African minister is seeking a scrap metal ban.

In the wake of public infrastructure damage, a South African minister has asked for a scrap metal export ban.

This, according to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, will ensure that metal stolen for scrap has no foreign market.

Mr. Gordhan is reported in parliament as saying, "There is no question that copper theft, rail theft, and other infrastructure theft and vandalism is having a big and disastrous effect on the effectiveness of logistics in South Africa."

He stated that his ministry was looking into ways to cope with the threat.

Kenya banned the trading of scrap metals in January to combat an increase in damage to critical public infrastructure.

It came as a nationwide power outage was blamed on vandalism of electricity pylons for scrap metal.