Rising Tide of Contact Crimes in South Africa Highlights Urgent Need for Enhanced Security Measures

26 Jul 2024

The attempted assassination of senior advocate Coreth Naudé last week comes as the latest in a rising tide of contact crimes, including kidnappings in South Africa. Two gunmen opened fire on her as she arrived at her Umhlanga hotel, critically wounding her. According to News24, Ms Naudé survived emergency surgery. She was acting for the South African Revenue Service in a tax inquiry involving controversial businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize.

Two weeks ago, senior investigator Zenzele Benedict Sithole of the City of Johannesburg Group Forensics and Investigation Services was killed in an apparent hit in Booysens, Johannesburg. Previous prominent cases, have included Charl Kinnear, an anti-gang unit detective gunned down outside his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town, in 2020; Babita Deokaran, a high-ranking Gauteng health department whistleblower, assassinated in 2021; former Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter, who survived a poisoning attempt in 2022, after he began exposing corruption at the power utility; and Cloete Murray and his son Thomas, shot and killed in an apparent hit in Midrand, Johannesburg in 2023. Mr Murray senior had worked with Ms Naudé on the Mkhize matter for several years.

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime reports that the number of “targeted killings” has more than doubled in the previous decade, increasing by 108%. The organisation recorded 141 targeted killings in 2022 and 131 in 2023, of which 31 were political assassinations. Between January and April of this year, the organisation counted at least 10 such assassinations, defined as “killings targeted at individuals holding a political or administrative position, whistleblowers, and political activists”.

Kidnappings cases have also been on the rise, with Gauteng leading the provinces, accounting for 51.02% of all cases. KwaZulu-Natal follows with 20.00%, and the Eastern Cape accounts for 5.81%. In Gauteng, Q2 reports showed 65 cases in Moroka, 65 in Protea, and 62 in Orange Farm. KwaZulu-Natal's cases included 42 in Umlazi, 37 in Durban Central, and 35 in Inanda. In the Eastern Cape, Mount Road had 25 cases, Swartkops had 21, and New Brighton had 10.

Of these cases, 40% involved businesspeople with ransom demands, the highest of which was R50 million. As of June 2024, 12% of these individuals were found deceased. There has been a staggering 440% increase in businessperson kidnappings.

Some notable kidnapping cases were that of an Eastern Cape shop owner Neal Ah-Tow who was kidnapped earlier in the year by five armed men as he was about to open his store, another case was that of Sonam Gajjar from Nelson Mandela Bay who was the wife of a prominent businessman, she was returned unharmed after a ransom of R2 million was paid by her family. Zahir Bayit, also a businessman was kidnapped outside his hardware store and was released a few days later, after his family paid a R1million ransom.

"These incidents highlight just how serious the crime situation is in the country, especially contact crimes," said Adriaan Otto, Managing Director of Excellerate Security. "They highlight the urgent need for awareness and vigilance. The authorities are clearly not winning this fight, so it’s important for private citizens and businesses to take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones." He said.

Below are some quick tips on how to stay safe:

·         Be Aware of Your Surroundings: It is important to stay alert and observe your surroundings, especially in high-risk areas and in areas you are unfamiliar with. (Read our article on Situational Awareness here)

·         Invest in Security: Make use of a layered security approach around your home and/or business, including effective perimeter fencing, monitored electric fencing, visible CCTV, outdoor beams and high-quality barrier security.

·         Alternate Your Routine: Avoid predictable routines to reduce the risk of being targeted and change your route and routine constantly.

·         Use Technology: Make use of personal safety apps and devices that you can trigger in an emergency to alert authorities or loved ones in an emergency.

·         Keep your Personal Information Safe:Do not overshare, especially on social media platforms, as this is often where criminals obtain sensitive information about their victims.

Sources: Centre For Risk Analysis, TopicWorx, Herald Live, Witness