South Africa recorded a 56 percent increase in cash-in-transit heists in the past financial year, South African Police Service (SAPS) told Parliament on Tuesday.
Major General Norman Sekhukhune, head of police crime research and statistics, told the lawmakers that “unfortunately, since 2014/15 we had three consecutive years whereby this crime has been increasing”.
According to the SAPS statistics presented to Parliament, there were 137 cash-in-transit heists in 2015/16, 152 in 2016/17 and 238 in 2017/18 – a 56.6% increase over the last financial year.
Most of the heists are recorded to have occurred on Mondays between 08:00 and 16:00 local time.
The heists resulted in the deaths of 23 security guards and two civilians.
Most cash-in-transit heists happened on the road (84) followed by business areas (66), malls (40) and convenience shops at garages (21). In most instances, security guards’ weapons were taken from them.
Carjackings saw a decrease in 2017/18 from 2016/17, with 16 325 cases, down 2.3% from the previous year’s 16 717 cases.
Almost half of these cases in the past year occurred in Gauteng.
Minister of Police Bhekokwakhe Hamilton Cele however said authorities would focus on ending the hijackings to ensure no such stats are submitted again.
“Our emphasis should be on what should be done and not on the crime stats,” Cele said.
“I want to put it here that we should ask what should be done. I said to the South African Police Services that never again will we deliver this kind of statistic, or worse.”
