In light of the situation, 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.

According to the report, South Africa ranks among the top countries in the world, and first on the African continent, for BSI’s forecasted losses due to cargo theft, underscoring the significant economic impact of this issue in the nation.

In fact, 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.

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.

Credit: TT Club

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

What is more, the report 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.

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.

...David Fairnie, BSI Principal Consultant for Supply Chain Security concluded.

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