South Africa has taken an overwhelming lead in cargo theft in the Middle East and Africa region, recording an alarming 54% of the region’s total – ahead of closest rival Kenya at 14%.That’s according to the second annual report on cargo theft worldwide jointly compiled by international transport and logistics insurer TT Club, and global provider of supply chain intelligence, BSI.In line with worldwide trends, truck hijackings accounted for the highest volume of incidents with an uptick in theft of food and beverages.But unlike other regions – including Europe – the widespread lack of security enforcement and availability of weapons is the hallmark of incidents in the region, with the report singling out South Africa as a hot spot. And in South Africa the increased danger to cargo truck drivers due to ongoing xenophobic violence, specifically against foreign hauliers from overborder countries like Zimbabwe, further inf lated the figures.Theft from trucks amount to 62% of the total, from facilities 33% and in transit 47%.These figures support comments by Prestmarine Group’s Susan Duvenage who says in transit theft has been the most prevalent. “There have been a couple of incidents where heavily armed individuals gained access to storage facilities in South Africa, held up staff and security personnel and took off with substantial amounts of mobile phones. We have also seen loads and containers disappearing while in transit through southern Africa – as well as a slight increase in entire loads disappearing while kept overnight at transporters’ premises.”And this appears to be a global trend. TT Club’s Mike Yarwood says thefteither of or from road vehicles has most frequently occurred while in transit in rest areas or an unsecured parking area.The statistics must however be seen in perspective, says Mike Brews of Horizon Underwriting Managers.“There are several reasons for the hefty figures recorded for South Africa.“First the size of the market. South Africa is considerably more economically active than most other countries in sub-Saharan Africa and hence it is to be expected it would have a higher number of theft incidents.“In addition, with the maturity of the South African financial system, you will find that the take-up of insurance solutions is much higher in SA than in most other areas in Africa.”And then there are the reporting systems. “While the systems are nowhere near perfect, crime statistics are regularly reported into the public domain making it far easier to obtain relatively accurate information on thefts and hijacking. Other African countries are way more secretive in this area.”However, whichever way you slice it the figures are evidence of a country in the grips of a crime epidemic with the highest unemployment rate ever offering little hope of a turnaround any time soon.
