Violent cargo crime – truck hijackings and facility robberies – have remained a common and widespread issue in South Africa over the past three years (2011 to 2013) according to the latest Freight Watch Supply Chain Intelligence report, Global Cargo Theft Threat Assessment 2013. The report notes that a third of all African cargo thefts during 2013 occurred in South Africa. The remaining incidents recorded in Africa occurred in Egypt, Angola, Algeria and Kenya. “Most thefts covered by the media or received from industry contacts lack key information about modus operandi, exact location or product type, and are therefore only partly useful,” commented the report, adding that forced stops (road blockages) and deceptive stops (thieves posing as police officers) are methods used not only by cargo crime gangs in South Africa – but are seen throughout the continent. Metals – including aluminium and copper, basic foodstuffs and perishables and electronics – are the main goods at high risk of being hijacked or stolen. Most transport companies are forced to hire escorts to protect their trucks. The province of Gauteng, which includes the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, remained the area most affected by overall cargo crime, according to the latest available crime statistics, with Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal taking the second and third hotspots respectively. CAPTION Gauteng, including Johannesburg, remains South Africa’s top cargo crime hotspot.
