Strongest ever anti-crime partnership hopes to make a difference

Mobilisation of financial resources a major coup JOY ORLEK THE OPPORTUNITY is limitless, the potential unbridled, but crime continues to restrict growth and investment. Now a joint initiative by government and big business is set to attack South Africa’s greatest scourge more effectively than ever before. The recently-established Anti-Crime Leadership Forum (ACLF), the strongest ever organised partnership between government and business in the fight against crime, is a major step in the right direction, says deputy chief executive officer at Business Against Crime, Dr Graham Wright. It’s been incubating for some time but effectively got off the ground in February this year. “In early 2006 there was a crime spike which led to a major public and business outcry,” says Wright. “The result was discussions between big business and government in September last year to establish how business could support government more effectively and how the country itself could enhance the fight against crime – ultimately leading to the formation of the ACLF.” The Forum comprises six ministers and eight business leaders who meet every two months. Four working groups have been established under the ACLF, each made up of government and prominent business leaders, and each addressing a particular aspect of crime in the country. “A number of issues were of concern,” says Wright. “The first was violent, organised crime which includes truck hijacking, business robberies, house robberies and housebreaking. A second work group focuses on mobilising society in the fight against crime – looking at how society can support the anti crime initiatives for example by providing information. “A third group is looking at ways of making the criminal justice pipeline more effective while the fourth is focused on developing leadership in the cluster system.” Each Work Group is co-chaired by a deputy minister and a business leader, and while it's early days for any statistically-based evidence of success, Wright believes there’s been a positive downward movement. The big difference, he says, is leadership involvement both from government and business. Another important factor has been the mobilisation of financial resources. “Business Leadership SA has committed to providing funded support, which is very important. In the past we relied on donations and it took away a lot of our resources to keep motivating and following up. The business funds will be used to help BAC add resources to its complement.” Focused energy on a few priority areas is also an important element of the new approach, says Wright. “There’s been positive feedback from our engagement at a very high level with government. We’ve had a very frank exchange of views about crime and where the problems are – and through that process a level of trust has been built between business and government. “Already there have been decisions made on priority interventions and resources allocated – which gives us a lot of hope.” The police, for example, introduced a flood and flush operation where they allocated additional resources to areas of high crime. “That was done in February as part of the interventions to address violent organised crime more effectively. “The issue of hijackings remains a problem, with this now also forming part of the violent organised crime working group. “We will continue to focus on the interventions aimed at reducing vehicle theft and hijackings– issues like registration officers, border control issues, improving the identity of vehicles through various technologies as these are all highly relevant. “We’re also now beginning to see results from our vehicle micro-dotting programme. The technology was introduced from Australia four or five years ago and as a consequence of sustained efforts over a period of time manufacturers are starting to come on board,” said Wright. Nissan has adopted the concept and other key players in the manufacturing and insurance sectors are seriously considering their options. The concept involves the application of tiny microdots to vehicles, giving each of them a unique, traceable identity and making it easier to identify stolen parts and more difficult for thieves to change a vehicle’s identity. “With some of these initiatives we have to rely on the market to drive them – we haven’t pushed for mandatory legislation.” In conjunction with the Department of Transport, BAC is also spearheading the electronic licence disc issue. “We are hoping it will be put in place by the end of the year and will be a big advantage for roadside law enforcement by electronic means.” Proactive steps are clearly being taken, but are they making a dent? “The last crime statistics were released in March this year,” says Wright, “and our initiatives hadn’t yet kicked in. “The challenges of BAC have changed over its ten year history and we believe the relationship between government and business has changed in a positive sense. “If you think back on the challenges 10 years ago, some are the same, but the nature of the engagements are different. “We are optimistic that the result of our initiatives will be evident when the next set of crime statistics is released.”