Getting tough on crime
Crime remains a major challenge to the country’s short-term insurance industry. Hi-jacking and robberies at homes and businesses cost the industry hundreds of millions of rand each year. That’s why the South African Insurance Associations (SAIA) makes an annual contribution to Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA). In February 2008 SAIA donated just more than R1.4m to be used in projects to combat vehicle crime.
At the time, SAIA deputy chief executive, Refilwe Moletsane noted that “Motor insurance accounted for half of the short-term insurance industry’s net claims in 2005.” R9.1bn of the industry’s R18.4bn net claims in that year related to motor policies. And approximately 30% of this bill could be attributed to vehicle crime. In recent weeks BACSA has announced a new initiative to take the fight to the criminal.
What if the SAPS and security industry could work together?
Drive through any residential area in Gauteng and you can’t miss the armed response branding prominently displayed on boundary walls and gates. You’ll also notice private guards patrolling streets, manning access control points and looking after individual properties. The reason – for years South Africans have been funding their own ‘private’ police force – paying extra in an attempt to ensure their safety. Anyone who’s been a victim of crime recently will appreciate that private security personnel are usually the first at the scene. And it’s common knowledge that the private security industry employs more people than the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The good news is someone has finally come up with a plan to synchronise the efforts of these bodies. BACSA recently facilitated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the SAPS Honeydew and the Security Industry Alliance in an effort to combat violent crime. “The high incidence of violent crimes is of serious concern to all the law abiding citizens,” said BACSA chief executive Siphiwe Nzimande, adding that “violent crime adversely affects all sectors and has a negative impact on the growth and development of the economy.”
BACSA says “the key component of this initiative is the establishment and use of a dedicated and secure radio communication system.” Individual security companies will be linked to a local police station to ensure speedy notification of crimes and coordinated response between the SAPS and private security personnel. Prior to joining the ‘partnership’ the private security firm must commit to compliance with legislation and the voluntary re-vetting of its security personnel.
Roll-out to other stations likely
The SAPS and Security Industry Alliance have spent a great deal of time establishing standard operating procedures for security companies that join the initiative. According to BACSA the “SAPS-led initiative focused on the Honeydew police station over [a number of] months [to establish] the operational framework and procedures of the partnership between private security companies and police stations…” They hope the MOU will be rolled out to other police stations soon.
The initiative was given a further boost with the opening on a new facility at the Honeydew police station. On 14 November 2008 the MEC for Community Safety officially opened a 288 square metre building to house a Client Service Centre, Crime Office and Honeydew Operational Coordinating Centre... BACSA says the facility “will enable the Honeydew police and local stakeholders to respond effectively to the crime challenges of the area.” It’s hoped that other policing districts follow this example to boost crime prevention, raise public confidence and increase detection, arrests and prosecution rates.
Although we welcome this public private partnership in the safety and security environment there are some concerns. One is whether the SAPS (on a national level) are ready to implement such initiatives. You would expect them to have their house in order before inviting other parties to assist with operational duties. If they get it right the long-term benefits of a relationship between SAPS and independent security firms will be significant. The thousands of security guards employed throughout the country could become the eyes and ears for the SAPS – and the visible security force that ordinary citizens hanker after.
Editor’s thoughts:
Chatting to neighbours, family and friends about their recent experiences one can be excused for doubting the latest SAPS statistics which point to a decline in most categories of violent crime. Armed response or not, the number of house breakings reported annually makes for some sombre reading. Do you believe private security firms should be given more ‘powers’ to assist the South African Police Services (SAPS)? Send your comments to [email protected] or add your comments below.
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