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SAPS must get its act together: Increase in carjackings damages the economy

SAPS must get its act together: Increase in carjackings damages the economy
Carjacking has a significant impact on foreigner’s perspectives of South Africa from a tourism and investment perspective. It has also become one of the most discussed crimes in the media and is one of the most feared crimes in the country. (Photo: pri.org / Wikipedia)

Carjacking has a significant impact on an outsider’s perspective of South Africa from tourism and investment points of view. It has also become one of the most discussed crimes in the media and is one of the most feared.

Dr Chris de Kock is the former head of the Crime Information Analysis Centre (CIAC) of the South African Police Service (SAPS). He holds a PhD in sociology and has extensive experience as a researcher and analyst in crime and violence in South Africa. He is also a consultant to police services in other southern African countries. As an associate of AfricaScope he works on the analysis of crime statistics and in the development of crime profile mapping projects. 

Craig Schwabe is a geospatial specialist and focuses on the development of geospatial information for South Africa and Africa. As a member of the GIS Centre of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) he assisted the South African Police Service (SAPS) in mapping its police station boundaries for the first time. As part of the AfricaScope team he has developed demographic and income data for South Africa and countries across Africa. 

In 2019/2020, South Africa had the highest annual number of carjackings – 18,162, a 13.3% increase from the previous year.

Carjacking, in simple terms, is the theft of a motor vehicle by force. It is one of the most organised crimes being committed in South Africa and involves a range of players from runners and intermediate handlers to the heads of crime syndicates. Carjacking continues to thrive because of the involvement of corrupt officials in the police, licensing offices and at border posts.

The targets of car thieves have changed over the years. In 2004/05, it was mostly sedans that were being carjacked in the more affluent areas of Gauteng. This later shifted to the townships, with bakkies and taxis being targeted. In 2006/2007, there were only four townships that had significant numbers of carjackings. Now there are 19.

Carjacking increased by 13.3%

Between 2012/13 and 2016/17, there was an average annual increase of 12.2% in the number of carjackings reported. Then, between 2017/18 and 2018/19, there was a marginal decrease of between 1.8%–2.3%.

In 2004/05, and 2009/10 to 2011/2012, there were decreases in carjackings of between 7%–23%. This was attributed to clear targets having been set for the SA Police Service, especially around the Soccer World Cup, visible policing based on crime pattern analysis, and a focus by SAPS crime intelligence on the syndicates.

That carjackings have begun to increase is because intelligence-based, visible policing is minimal and there is a significant amount of infighting within the SAPS.

Using AfricaScope’s SA crime profile viewer, the high priority police stations can be identified at different administrative levels. The national picture shows that carjacking predominates in Gauteng – in the metropolitan areas and larger towns. With four of the top 10 carjacking police stations in Gauteng, it has the highest number of carjackings of the nine provinces. The stations in Gauteng which reported the highest number of carjackings in 2019/20 are Mamelodi East (230), Booysens (206), Moroka (175) and Honeydew (173).

Booysens/Moffat View with highest numbers 

Booysens police station was historically in the top position for carjacking reports over at least 10 years, but has now dropped to fourth position in the country. A key reason for this is that the Moffat View police station was separated from Booysens. However, if one adds the number of carjackings for these two police stations, it is still the highest in the country.

Studying the environmental characteristics of these police stations, one sees that Booysens, Moffett View and Nyanga are similar in that they have significant road infrastructure passing through them or on their periphery. Booysens and Moffat View police stations link residential areas to the south with industrial and commercial areas in Johannesburg.

Similarly, Nyanga has high levels of accessibility and is one of the major transport hubs in Cape Town. The N4 running past Mamelodi East police station is a reason it has become a carjacking hotspot in Gauteng. These are critical factors to take into consideration in addressing carjacking in South Africa.

Understanding crime pattern theory 

Crime pattern theory helps to understand why crimes occur in particular places and at particular times. The theory emphasises that there are three components that must be considered: 1) nodes, 2) paths and 3) edges. Nodes are the places where criminals and victims travel to and from (e.g. home, school, work, recreation). Paths are the routes that people travel along every day when moving between the nodes. The edges are the “mindset” areas (i.e. the known geographic area within which criminals and victims travel regularly). It is in these “mindset” areas where the criminals and victims encounter one another.

The routine activity theory indicates that for a crime to occur, one requires three elements: 1) a likely offender, 2) a suitable target, 3) the absence of a capable guardian. Although the first two elements are easy to understand, a guardian is anyone who can prevent a crime from occurring, including the police, security guards and citizens. The use of the crime pattern and routine activity theories needs to be understood in relation to carjacking as it provides a significant opportunity in reducing this crime.

Geospatial information critical in developing anti-carjacking strategies

To be able to tackle carjacking requires geospatial information to be collected on the location of actual crimes so that the hotspot areas can be identified in any particular police station. What also needs to be understood is the ever-changing modus operandi in carjackings, which requires the consistent collection of intelligence.

With this information, further geospatial information needs to be collected, especially considering the theories described above. This includes where the offender resided and committed the crime, the major paths/routes on which the carjacking was committed and where the victim was coming from and at what time, as well as the location of known drop-off sites and “chop shops” for stolen vehicles.

Crime pattern analysis and visible policing 

It is critical that a partnership is established between the police, the Community Police Forum, citizens, businesses and security structures to tackle carjacking. It is also important for people to be informed so they can take appropriate steps to avoid hot spot areas or take the necessary precautions.

In those years when there were the largest decreases in carjackings, special initiatives were implemented by the SAPS to dismantle syndicates and arrest people. Crime pattern analysis and visible policing were used at a police station level to accomplish this. Police management was tasked with setting targets and held accountable when it came to achieving a reduction in carjackings and other crimes. Similar initiatives must now be implemented by the SAPS. DM/MC

For the webinar video, Conversations on Crime: Carjacking, click here.

For the SA Crime Profile viewer, click here.

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