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TRUCK hijackings have increased by 54,5% in 2014/to date, with 689 cases reported. In 2013/2014 truck hijackings had increased by only 4,4% and in 2012/2013 by 18,3%. The thieves are informed, picking their loads for themost value and each hijacked load typically involves millions of rands. Low economy, high crime At one tracking company, Cartrack, the global chief finanical officer John Edmeston, the South African Road Freight Association had reported 1150 truck hijackings across the industry during the same period – “a rapid and significant escalation”. More reports, he added, are showing a direct correlation between the crime rate and economic and social conditions. “Car and truck hijackings are generally perpetrated by organised crime syndicates, thus the hijacking increases also suggest that organised crime is on the rise in South Africa.” Using data recorded by police
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Nr 32, May 201 5
The ticking crime bomb of jobless youth
Western Cape. “Exacerbating this, the perceived or real high levels of corruption, instability in our law enforcement agencies and perceived low criminal prosecution rates also play a role in bolstering crime. “Criminals believe they can act with impunity,” Edmeston said. There was, he said, “a ticking time bomb” forecast of 10unemployed young John Edmeston, global CFO for Cartrack, predicts truck hijackings million South Africans by 2020. He will go up as the economy goes down. cited the World Employment in 15 countries, Edmeston economics in an environment and Social Outlook Trends pointed out robbery, murder and where controls and consequen- 2015 report, which –puts South hi-jackings go hand in hand ces are inadequate.” Africa as having the world’s with economic stress. Beyond the economic link to unemployment crime rates, Edmeston pointed eighth-highest rate and among the youth the Just like the bad old days out, various studies stated that figure is 52.5% the sixth highest Edmeston remined how truck many factors were driving this in the world. hijackings in SA had soared by trend, among them youth gangs, “Tackling youth 61% during the financial crisis drugs, alcohol and the unemployment has to of 2008/9, but then dropped by availability of firearms. 42% during the recovery years be South Africa’s single of 2011/12. Poor pockets, most important focus; “Nevertheless we have to rich pickings come to terms with the fact that Edmeston said gangs operating business and government must find common crime, particularly organised drug and vehicle theft ground to defuse that crime, is an industry in itself syndicates were particularly and will thrive regardless of active in Gauteng and the bomb.”