It is necessary to repeat that many avoidable crimes are “invited” by entrenched trading customs and personal habits which have not been changed in the face of changing modus operandi of criminals. Crime prevention strategies and responsive actions by SAPS, particularly by the PMB police (assisted in some cases by the Safe City Surveillance organization and by BFC), during the past year have resulted in the reduction in some categories of crime. However, exacerbated by the current negative impact on the economy, murders, business and bank robberies with firearms, car hijackings and house burglaries remain issues of concern, and police action is continuing in that regard, but … every business/citizen has a duty to be responsible at all times and this does help to reduce crime.
BFC provides a service to business to ….. NOT BE A VICTIM OF CRIME — PLEASE NOTE AND TAKE ACTION :
Cellphones and laptop computers contain personal information including identification numbers and often banking details. Criminals use computer programmes to access this information and are thus enabled to clean out bank accounts. There is documented evidence of this. Keep your cellphones and laptops secure at all times and do not leave them on car seats, counter tops or out of your sight.
There are still some businesses that collect wages/salaries in cash from banks in bags of various description. Criminals are usually well-informed and such carriers become victims, often with serious consequences. We urge that alternative systems are used to pay staff.
In recent incidents of serious assault and murder, the motivation is cash that business owners do not bank but retain on business premises and/or carry to their home. This practice is irresponsible to say the least. WE URGE YOU TO BANK YOUR CASH REGULARLY, AND TO USE SECURITY CASH-IN-TRANSIT SERVICES – money is no compensation for injury or death.
Some national chain stores still do not utilize instore CCTV facilities and security services. This lack is an open invitation to criminals and those stores are being continually attacked. There is really no defense for this inaction and we urge these stores to ensure that their controlling party rectifies the high risk that exists in their business — to rely solely on insurance cover to compensate their cash loss is irresponsible.
Safe City has introduced another crime prevention strategy whereby citizens must report suspicious behaviour or activity such as loitering, public display of firearms, street gambling, drug dealing, an abandoned vehicle, drunken or reckless behaviour or driving, by sending an SMS to 083 767 7233.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The organisation known as Business Against Crime (BAC) was started in Maritzburg some years ago with the full support of the business community and Chamber, in particular. It was an independent section 21 company that used a name that had already identified similar organisations at national and provincial level and in other towns and cities. Under the leadership of Des Winship, and with the valuable financial support of several local companies. BAC Pietermaritzburg undertook a number of projects. Many assisted the SAPS which, at the time, was badly under-resourced. Most recently it was BAC that initiated the so-called Safe City Project that is now being run so successfully by a separate section 21 company established for the purpose.
It became increasingly obvious that the environment in which BAC was founded to operate had changed. SAPS, for example, is now much better resourced. Although crime remains a critical factor in local economic development, BAC had become somewhat distant from its original business base. Furthermore, the cost of operating as a separate entity with an office and staff proved increasingly unnecessary considering the nature of BAC’s work. To further compound the problem, the national office of BAC had embarked on a campaign to protect the brand by insisting that certain criteria should be met before a local organisation could call itself Business Against Crime. Since the local organisation had had no support from the national office, nor any connection, this was considered unpalatable.
In order to deal with the changed circumstances and to ensure that the objectives of the organisation would be perpetuated, it was agreed by both the Board of BAC and the Executive Committee of the PCB that BAC Pietermaritzburg should be disbanded and a newly-constituted Business Fighting Crime (BFC) (not a section 21 company) returned to the business fold through the Chamber. The PCB supplies the necessary administrative support, thereby reducing costs, and the co-ordination of lobbying and advocacy. At the same time, BFC is directly accessible to the members of the Chamber.
To view Business Fighting Crime's Annual Report for 2008 click here.
