Concern at Spike in Cash-in-Transit Incidents in Gauteng

Gauteng’s provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has met with representatives of the cash-in-transit (CIT) industry following a spike in the number of CIT incidents in the province.

Mawela, together with his Deputy responsible for Policing, Major General Tommy Mthombeni and the Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, led a delegation of senior officers from Crime Intelligence, Visible Policing and Detectives in Wednesday’s urgent engagement with CIT industry partners.

The intention of the engagement was to urgently address the recent upsurge in the number of CIT incidents in the province, and to subsequently strengthen relations and enhance cooperation between the SAPS and the industry.

“If we want to make a positive impact and mitigate this emerging urban terror, we will need to work hard on building a value-driven relationship with operational plans that are more proactive rather than reactive,” said the Lieutenant General.

Comparing the rate of occurrence of incidents this year to last year’s rate, Lieutenant General Mawela confirmed that there is a worrying spike in the rate and frequency of incidents of cash-in-transit robberies in Gauteng.

He added that urgent intervention and attention is required from all stakeholders.

The Commissioner emphasised the importance of reviewing existing plans and strengthening relations whereby both law enforcement and industry partners will with immediate effect, put measures in place and embark on rigorous operations focusing on averting/preventing incidents; response time; arrests; and prosecutorial-led investigations.

Mawela commended industry partners for the establishment of the CITASA (Cash-in-Transit Association of South Africa) and the subsequent roll-out of a state-of-the-art operational command centre where the SAPS will be represented. The SAPS will have access to shared services and technologies that will enhance efforts to flatten the spike in relation to cash-in-transit robberies.

“In addressing CIT robberies, we need to take cognisance of the fact that various secondary crimes emanate from these robberies and this ultimately has a bearing on the total crime picture of the province. One CIT robbery may at the end of the day result in additional crimes being recorded such as: malicious damage to property relating to the armoured vehicle; attempted murder and murder where in some instances security guards, police members and/or suspects have been shot and injured or killed; robbery of the money, hijacking for suspects’ getaway, and other crimes,” said Mawela.

At the meeting, all stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to work together with the SAPS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) towards eradicating cash-in-transit robberies and related crimes. – SAnews.gov.za