Just brought in to supply the kiss of life to the ailing SA chapter of the Transported Asset Protection Association (Tapa) is information technology (IT) specialist Marius Louw, formerly head of the ID Verification System (IVS). Despite the sound basis on which Tapa was established – the need for all stakeholders (shippers, service providers, law enforcement, government and the like) to work together for the common cause – SA business has displayed its usual lethargy at getting involved in anything new, Louw told FTW. “It’s also despite all the hard work put in by SA chairman John Nelson in recent times,” he added, “where the intelligence database for incident reporting was successfully implemented and an excellent relationship created with the SA Police Service (SAPS).” This was confirmed, for example, by Superintendent Johan Jacobs of SAPS, whose message to a Tapa general meeting in Boksburg last year was: “Talk to us.” “Most of the goods transported in and out of the country through OR Tambo Airport are transported through my precinct,” he told delegates. “And at the SAPS we believe that people like yourselves can help to make a difference.” But the issue has now been complicated by the fact that Nelson has left his previous post with TNT, and simultaneously withdrawn as head of Tapa. This saw George Weissing of Tapa in Europe talking to Louw, and asking him to head the Tapa committee and to help resuscitate the association. “I will be leading the Tapa management committee,” said Louw, “until we can elect a new chairman and breathe extra fire into an organisation that is an essential element in the fight against cargo crime in SA.” Evidence of the value of the Tapa concept globally is the formation of a new anti-crime task force for China.
