South Africa ranks among top countries in the world for cargo crimes

South Africa ranks among the top countries in the world for cargo theft, and first on the African continent, underscoring the significant economic impact of this issue in the nation, according to a report titled ‘Freight Crime in South African Supply Chains’ from BSI’s Supply Chain Risk Exposure Evaluation Network (SCREEN) and TT Club’s insurance risk management and loss prevention insights. 

Historically, there is an inverse relationship between crime and economic growth in South Africa. However, this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the impacts of lockdowns and a decline in the economy, an additional layer was added to that relationship.

The economic decline, along with the changes brought about by a restrictive lockdown in response to Covid-19 earlier this year, left the freight sector in a vulnerable situation. South Africa is an environment traditionally characterised by cargo truck hijackings. Further, cross-border truck congestion and slower freight clearance created secondary disruptions that leave cargo even more susceptible to theft and general violence.    

The graphic – Cargo Theft Trends South Africa -  illustrates statistics from both the South African Police Service (SAPS) and news sources, in addition to those recorded by BSI’s SCREEN, and underlines the typical characteristics of cargo thefts occurring in the country. In total, three key trends resulted from BSI and TT’s research in 2019 and 2020: thefts from facilities increased during the first half of 2020; an uptick in incidents of cargo theft occurred in Eastern Cape and Western Cape between the first two quarters of 2020; and thefts of food and beverage and medical supplies increased in Q2 2020. The report’s authors emphasise that the understanding of cargo theft risk plays a big part in mitigating both the occurrence and impact of these incidents on stakeholders’ organisations and is crucial in building a truly resilient supply chain.

Mike Yarwood, TT Club’s Loss Prevention managing director stated, “As cargo theft continues to impact business operations and disrupt supply chains in South Africa and elsewhere, it is vital that companies stay on top of potential threats and risks. Security awareness and proactive risk management actions are essential steps in creating a risk-averse supply chain. In highlighting causal influences this report also points the way to how preventative measures can, and must, be introduced and enhanced to reverse the damaging trends.”

David Fairnie, BSI principal consultant for supply chain security  added, “Understanding the threats in South Africa, detailed in this report, and incorporating the suggested preventative measures, including screening employees, implementing security management systems, and securing parking depots, will help organisations work towards developing more secure and resilient supply chains.”