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17 October 2008

Programme director
Advocate Anton Wiid, Chairperson of the Cash in Transit Crime Prevention Forum
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure and honour for me to join you and address you this evening at this important event the celebration of 10 years in existence of the Cash in Transit Crime Prevention Forum.

Congratulations and may you have many more years! The establishment of this forum, ten years ago, by stakeholders in the cash-in-transit (CIT) industry in order to address the matter of attacks on cash transportation, was an important and necessary development.

The forum allowed members the space to share ideas about how to combat this scourge. The forum should be congratulated for the quality of reports it produces on a monthly basis containing a detailed analysis of CIT robberies, detailing both tactical and strategic crime analysis to enable role players to plan accordingly.

The success of the forum is perhaps but reflected in the fact that police statistics show that cash in transit heists are down. It should also be mentioned that the total cash loss for the industry decreased with 35% during 2008 in comparison with the same period in 2007. Consistent decreases have been experienced during 2008 in comparison with 2007.

This is an indication that initiatives such as the Cash Management Forum, other crime Initiatives and overall cash flow handling by individual institutions have showed results. However, your celebrations should not be too lengthy or drawn out as the criminals appear to have already switched their attentions elsewhere.

It is therefore of concern to government that with improving security in the cash-in-transit vehicles and closer cooperation with the South African Police Service, the focus seems to have shifted to bombing automated teller machines (ATMs).

It is therefore important that we continue to have a dialogue on these issues and contribute to a greater breadth and depth of discussions around cash transport management. Cash-in-transit robberies are a major problem, not only in our society, but globally. The large number of cash in transit heists in South Africa comprises a major problem for all of us each of us is affected in some way by cash management in our society.

Developments have become even more troubled over the past years, as we have unfortunately seen the heists being ever more brazen and the attended escalation in the use of violence, with the increased death of bystanders. In May 2007, a cash heist in Johannesburg claimed the life of a 15 month baby who was killed while strapped on her mother's back. Although the statistics for this year show a decline in the number of CIT incidents, the statistics on fatalities for the year seem to indicate that the number of security personnel, like guards, killed as from January until now, is about to surpass last year's total.

Ladies and gentlemen,
It is clear that some of the challenges facing the cash in transit industry can be attributed to the short comings within the regulatory system that we have in place.

In his state of the nation address in February 2007, former President Mbeki noted that, "Quite clearly the regulatory system that we have in place is inadequate. This applies to such issues as wage levels, personnel vetting systems, enforcement of guidelines on cash delivery vehicles, and so on."

It is therefore pleasing to note that under the auspices of the South African Reserve Bank, the various role players in the industry have met to discuss possible minimum standards for cash in transit operations. The draft recommendations deal with, inter alia, minimum specifications for the cash in transit vehicles, training and the vetting of personnel.

The Review of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) also has the drafting of a CIT Bill on its programme of action (POA). We have in the past expressed our concerns with the poor quality of the vehicles used in the industry. Minimum standards will ensure that vehicles in transporting cash will be able to not only protect the valuables transported but ensure that the lives of the security personnel are fully protected.

Regular training and vetting of the security personnel is also critical. We are all aware that there are suggestions that critical information relating to the transportation of valuables is leaked from within the cash in transit companies. Proper training and vetting and regular re-vetting will ensure that the integrity of the security personnel is above aboard.

Ladies and gentlemen,
One of the complaints in the industry relates to the prosecution of perpetrators and setting of tougher bail conditions. I understand that the conviction rate of cash in transit robberies remain a concern within the industry. Recidivism also appears to be high as previously convicted offenders continue to be involved in cash-in-transit heists while out on bail.

A brief analysis of the statistics on cash in transit robberies reported in the 2007/2008 Annual Report of the South African Police Service shows on the one hand a decline in the number of complaints reported, but at the same time it clearly shows that an unacceptably low number of these cases actually reach court and an even smaller number of cases finally translates into a guilty verdict. In brief the statistics can be unpacked as follows: In 2006/07, a total of 467 CIT complaints were reported. In the next financial year, 2007/08, the number of CIT complaints reported was significantly less, a total of 297 complaints were reported, which translates into 36.4% decline in reported CIT complaints if compared to the previous financial year.

The SAPS further reported that for the year 2006/07 a total of 508 complaints were incomplete and for the year 2007/08 a total of 400 complaints were incomplete. This number is off course higher than the number of cases reported in a given financial year, since cases have been carried over from previous years and these numbers are not reflected in the SAPS Annual Report.

Therefore, only a very small number out of the total number of reported cases is referred to court on a year to year basis. The SAPS reported a 13.47% detection rate for CIT robberies for the 2006/07 financial year and in 2007/08 a detection rate of 13.6% has been noted.

For the year 06/07, a 120 cases were referred to court (25.6%) of 467 reported cases for the year), and for the 2007/08 financial year 88 cases (29% of 297 reported cases) were referred to court.

Finally, this translated into 14 convictions in the 2006/07 financial year (17.5% of 120 cases referred to court) and in 2007/08 this number increased to 21 convictions (23.8% of 88 cases referred to court). Finally, this translates into a very low number of convictions out of the already low number of cases referred to court.

This is an issue that government is taking very seriously, not only in terms of prosecution and bail conditions for perpetrators of cash-in-transit crimes, but all categories of serious crimes. Many of you would be aware of the Review of the Criminal Justice System that I am currently leading. As part of this far-reaching review, we have proposed a package of seven fundamental and transformative changes to be implemented in an integrated and holistic manner in order to achieve a new dynamic and integrated criminal justice system.

The seven proposed changes are:
* Adopt a single Vision and Mission leading to a single set of objectives, priorities and performance measurement targets for the Criminal Justice System (CJS) by the Justice Crime Prevention and Security cluster (JCPS).

* Establish through legislation or by protocol a new and realigned single CJS co-ordinating and management structure flowing seamlessly from Cabinet to each court, and the appointment of a person from the Executive as Head of the CJS structure with co-ordination and management functions and not executive powers.

* Making substantial changes to the present court process in criminal matters through practical, short and medium term proposals to improve the performance of the courts, especially initially the Regional Courts.

* Implement key priorities identified for the component parts of the CJS, which are part of or impact upon the new proposed court process, especially as it pertains to improving capacity, in relation to personnel, infrastructure, or otherwise.

* Establish an integrated and seamless National CJS IT database / system containing all information relevant to the CJS, including the review and harmonise the template for gathering information relating to the CJS.

* Modernise, in an integrated and holistic manner, all aspects of the systems and equipment of the CJS, including the fast tracking of the implementation of present projects and modernisation initiatives.

* Involve the population at large in the fight against crime by introducing changes to the Community Policing Forum regime, including expanding the role to deal with all matters in CJS, for example, policing, parole boards, provide financial and administrative infrastructure to give it "teeth". These changes will see the urgent drafting of a detailed operational manual dealing with all aspects of the investigation and prosecution of crime to assist police officers and prosecutors to act and perform their functions within uniform parameters and then binding directives to operationalise uniform action by officials at the coalface with regard to issues, such as bail and so on.

In conclusion, it is only with the support of organisations, such as Business Against Crime and the CIT Crime Prevention Forum that we can make significant strides in bringing crime levels down and changing unacceptable and negative crime trends in our society. I would like to encourage the Forum to continue with its efforts to support government to fight the scourge of CIT robberies in South Africa. Your efforts combined with government's commitment to the reform of the criminal justice system, will in the long run prove effective in the fight against crime. Once again, congratulations for reaching this milestone of ten years of existence.

Thank you for listening!

Issued by: Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development
17 October 2008
Source: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (http://www.doj.gov.za)