The Democratic Alliance claims the country's economy is suffering because of copper cable theft.

In the past three years cable theft has risen by 39 percent while copper cable theft has cost Telkom over R1-billion.

Eskom and Transnet have also seen an increase in cable theft.

DA MP Pieter van Dalen expressed shocked at the amount of money the telecommunication provider has lost due to cable theft.

Van Dalen says they must increase security.

,p> "Eskom seems like it has turned the tide against cable theft. Eskom has internal investigators who work with security companies which Transnet and Telkom don?t have."