Thapelo Sakoana
7 February 2007
The South African Insurance Association (SAIA), which represents 54 local insurance companies, has donated R1.3-million to Business Against Crime (BAC) to fund the fight against car theft and hijackings in the country.
"The SAIA is convinced that the good work done by the BAC through its vehicle crime project, which has been operational since 1997, has contributed greatly to the systematic reduction in vehicle crime since 1998," SAIA chief executive Barry Scott said in a statement on Monday.
Scott added the recent spike of vehicle crime made it important for the SA Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, BAC and SAIA to cooperate with each other.
This included promoting the sharing, analysis and interpretation of information on vehicle crime, he said.
"We share the responsibility of facing the challenge of unacceptably high crime levels in South Africa with the government and other corporate and individual citizens."
Scott said South Africa's insurers were committed to the fight against car theft and hijackings, since motor insurance comprised about 43% of the industry's gross premium. During 2004, of the total net claims valued at R15.4-billion, about R7.6-billion related to vehicle claims.
"Approximately 30% of these motor claims related to vehicle crime," Scott said.
The BAC has a lengthy involvement in public-private partnerships to tackle crime in the country, having met with President Thabo Mbeki and top officials as part of the Big Business Working Group on several occasions in 2006.
According to BAC chief executive Simphiwe Nzimande, the BAC's national vehicle crime project aims to reduce illegal registration of stolen and hijacked cars while disrupting the illegal trade of motor vehicle parts.
According to the SAIA and BAC, the rate of car theft and robbery in SA declined from 17.5% to 12.9% per 1 000 registered vehicles between 1998 and 2004, representing a 26% reduction in the rate of vehicle theft hijackings.
Despite this decline, they said, South African business and government had to increase their efforts to curb vehicle crime.
Source: BuaNews
