Strong call goes out to employers to report theft and corruption

‘Incentivisation could help reverse apathy’ TURNING A blind eye to crime in business isn’t going to make it go away. Tanya Venter, CEO of the dispute settlement organisation, Tokiso, told FTW that there was general apathy among employers towards issues of theft and corruption. A sense is emerging, she suggested, that industry is becoming inured to crime - despite there being an estimated 255 000 dismissals a year in industry and commerce in SA, of which 160 000 resulted from disputes and arbitration by organisations such as the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), bargaining councils and private dispute resolution groups. Venter reckoned that over 42 075 (33%) are for theft, fraud and dishonesty – with the breakdown of the reasons for these dismissals being: Theft (20%), insubordination (19%), absenteeism (14%), negligence (12%), fraud (8%), assault (6%), under the influence of abusive substances (6%), dishonesty (5%), desertion (3%), breach of confidentiality (2%), threats or intimidation (1%) and ‘other reasons’ (4%). Employers tend to avoid reporting crime to the police - “believing that nothing will come of reporting incidents,” according to Venter, and that “they have a fear of incriminating their companies and of the associated litigation they might face”. They need to be incentivised to report theft, fraud and corruption, she told a workshop on theft and corruption held by the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight Industry (NBCRFI) in Boksburg. In the handling of employees, employers should steer away from ‘proceduralism’ and explain misconduct in a non-legalistic way. They needed to steer away from criminal terminology at investigation or disciplinary stages, Venter added. Tokiso manages an arbitration panel for the NBCRFI and works with four industry-based bargaining councils.
Reasons for dismissal
5% other reasons
2% breach of confidentiality
6% under influence of abusive substances
5% dishonesty
3% desertion
6% assault
20% theft
19% insubordination
14% absenteeism
12% negligence
8% fraud