Community unrest, hijackings, vandalism and non-existent security measures at key facilities are just some of the critical issues raised by business and security experts in the Markman Industrial area of Nelson Mandela Bay, who say solutions are not as complex as they might seem.
Security in Markman has been a growing concern, with truck hijackings and road freight increasingly targeted by criminals or disgruntled, unemployed truck drivers.
The issue came into sharp focus in June with the kidnapping of Gqeberha resident Lindsay Knowlden from the municipal-owned Fresh Produce Market off Ranger Road.
Read more: Family of kidnapped Lindsay Knowlden praise Hawks
Little progress
Despite municipal claims that security measures have been addressed, a recent visit revealed very little progress. Access was controlled by only two municipal security guards and traffic cones where a gate once stood — but the guards simply moved the cones aside. No signatures were recorded and vehicles were not searched. Inside, no visible security measures were in place.
Other than the section where fresh produce is sold, the premises are also used as storage for materials, such as water pipes and wooden poles for street lights or electricity infrastructure. Even there, no security measures prevented access to these materials.
The only person who noticed the private vehicle driving through the facility was a cattle herder, whose livestock grazed among the materials after simply walking into the fenceless facility.
Driving out of the market was as simple as entering. No form of security check was done. More than one source confirmed similar experiences at the market in recent weeks.
Ease of access a big problem
“One of the biggest problems we see is the ease of access to Markman, particularly from the directions of Addo Road and the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ). And this ease of access is of particular concern at the Fresh Produce Market,” Graham Taylor, spokesperson for the Markman Business Forum (MBF), said.
While the MBF has taken it upon itself to set up a significant network of security cameras throughout the area, Taylor believes something as simple as a well-maintained fence could be a major security asset.
Trevor Wilson, owner of the most prolific security firm in Markman, Impact Loss Control, said he was approached about assessing the security measures at the market and also found them sorely lacking.
“There were no cameras, no fences, no register to monitor vehicles coming and going, and according to security at the entrance, the gate has been broken for a long time. Security, for all intents and purposes, was non-existent,” Wilson said.
Municipality ‘committed’
In response to questions about the security concerns at the Fresh Produce Market, municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the municipality was committed to enhancing security at the facility.
He said the recent kidnapping incident was followed by a “comprehensive risk assessment” by the Safety and Security Directorate. “A submission has been tabled for the acting city manager’s consideration to strengthen security measures, with budget confirmation currently in progress,” Soyaya said.
He said the economic development, tourism and agriculture committee had endorsed a turnaround strategy centred on reinvestment into the facility through strategic partnerships.
“The municipality is working closely with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation to develop a business case that will drive the revitalisation of the entire precinct. This includes integrating agroprocessing, manufacturing, cold storage and distribution capabilities into the existing operations.”
He said that over the past two financial years, R10-million had been allocated towards upgrades at the facility. This included cold storage facilities, agroprocessing equipment, improved lighting and the construction of a perimeter wall, which was under way.
Truck hijackings, drivers accosted
However, security concerns stretch beyond the market, and while Taylor said there had been fruitful engagements with municipal officials about public-private partnerships, the situation was still concerning, mentioning incidents of trucks being hijacked and their drivers accosted.
Wilson said businesses were suffering major financial losses as truck hijackings not only cost them the loss of goods, but also the additional expense of employing security escorts for their vehicles.
“Besides criminal elements targeting trucks for their freight, we have seen unemployed truck drivers targeting foreign nationals employed as drivers.
“They stop trucks, remove the drivers, and then jackknife the trucks across the road to disrupt logistics, costing local companies even more money due to delays,” Wilson said.
Truck driver Edward Mlambo said he had been moving freight in and out of Markman for three years, and it had always been a tense environment.
“At first, it was only expensive items being targeted. Nowadays, anything on wheels is at risk. Sometimes we don’t even know what is in the truck, but we are still stopped and told to get out.”
He said some of his fellow drivers had tried to bribe the community when they were stopped. Others, especially foreign nationals, he said, jumped out of their vehicles and ran away, fearing for their safety.
An attendant at a Markman fuel station said there were certain hot spots where they saw suspicious people patrol, seemingly looking for vehicles to target.
“They like to hang around at the traffic circles, and when cars and trucks slow down, they jump out and threaten the drivers. If they don’t take the cars or trucks, they take cellphones and wallets,” the attendant said.
Security is further jeopardised at night as damaged infrastructure has left Markman in darkness due to non-functional streetlights.
Derrick Fuller, a logistics controller at a Markman business, said illegal alcohol sales, drugs and even suspected prostitution were common.
“Month-end, after salaries have been paid, is the worst. These streets become a hive of dodgy activities. They buy and sell all kinds of things, and I’ve seen women hop in and out of trucks and cars after dark. They are either moonlighting as mechanics, or they offer some other services I would rather not think about,” Fuller said. DM