The container-shipping industry has taken matters into its own hands to counter lack of police success in halting crime syndicates. Angella Johnson reports
THE head of a police truck-theft unit has been transferred from his post following allegations that his section either colluded with crime syndicates or was incompetent in dealing with the scourge of a multi-million- rand container-theft industry.
Captain Phillip Schutte was removed as commander of the special unit in Kaserne, Johannesburg, after representatives of the container-shipping industry complained that robberies were not being properly investigated and officers regularly lied about the progress of cases in court.
The move, which police insist is not a statement of guilt, culminated a six-month drive by three major cargo-shipping companies against crime syndicates whose activities cost the industry more than R70- million in the first six months of this year.
Rennies Group, CX Transnet and the Mediterranean Shipping Company put up the R1-million needed to hire private investigators to carry out surveillance of gangs who prey on the City Deep industrial park on the edge of Johannesburg.
“We have been complaining for two years about this problem, then realised that unless we took matters into our own hands things would not get better,” said an industry spokesman who refused to be named for fear of reprisal. “If the crooks knew who I was, they would probably target my company,” he said.
None of the companies involved in the project has suffered cargo theft since the operation began in May. Prior to its launch, as many as three containers a day were hit by syndicate activities, leading to losses ranging from R500 000 to R19-million.
“So we hired our own detectives to dig up evidence and virtually handed the crooks to the cops, but found they would say the accused was out on bail and the case had been postponed. Then when you go to the court, you find out the case failed to go ahead because officers didn’t turn up with the docket,” said the spokesman.
A combined force of representatives from the industry, customs and excise detectives and the Isando police truck-hijacking unit has managed to smash the operation of at least three syndicates.
But the industry’s biggest criticism focuses on the Kaserne unit. “The way the police have handled this problem is unforgivable. They have deceived the public by putting out false information about their `successes’,” said an industry representative.
Gossip had been circulating on the shopfloor since last November that syndicates were bribing police officers and coercing employees from companies to help steal containers.
So the industry began its own covert operation to identify the crooks and their accomplices. Photographs were taken of gang members loitering outside the gates, stopping drivers and speaking on their cellphones.
“We asked the workforce to act as its own police,” said the industry representative. “Truck drivers became surveillance operatives and would radio in when they saw anything suspicious. Workers co-operated because jobs were at stake if the stealing continued, and they were also sick of the intimidation.”
The long hours paid off. Within weeks of setting up the civilian-based operation – aided by three detectives from Isando – the first trap was sprung. Members of a syndicate under surveillance for six weeks were being tracked when they diverted a container truck carrying aluminium wheel rims worth R800 000 into a warehouse in Activia Park, Germiston.
By the time the police arrived, half the stock had been off-loaded. In a shoot-out which followed, a policeman was shot in the jaw and one of the thieves was killed. The truck driver is in jail after failing to pay bail of R50 000 and two other men are on the run.
In another case, the industry uncovered a syndicate involving 400 people, many of them employees.
It seemed to industry leaders that they were dealing with an octopus and as soon as one tentacle was chopped off, another grew again.
There was also visible police involvement with the syndicates – police officers would arrive, talk socially with them and share soft drinks.
The Railway and Harbour Workers’ Union (Sarhwu) says police corruption is the single most destructive force in the fight against crime syndicates at City Deep, and has called for more radical action.
“Because of the perception that the police in Kaserne were incompetent in arresting criminals, it has reached the state where many people don’t even bother to report many criminal activities,” said a union representative.
“Our people say they are regularly approached and offered bribes by these syndicates, and are sometimes threatened to help in the theft of cargo loads. When they report this to the police, nothing is done. So now they don’t bother.”
The Kaserne unit, which operates throughout Gauteng, claims to have been involved in investigating theft in 401 cases, involving more than R100-million worth of cargo, between January and April this year. It says more than R13-million worth of cargo has been recovered.
But this is contested by container operators. “The industry has never seen any sign of this recovery,” said insurance investigator Michael Shrimpton.
Police have confirmed that Schutte has been deployed to John Vorster Square, but is currently on sick leave. “There is no evidence of corruption at the station, though it appears certain irregularities occurred in the way dockets were handled and the correct procedures were not followed in some cases,” said South African Police Service spokesman Mark Reynolds.
Senior detectives from police headquarters were conducting an internal inspection at Kaserne and further transfers of personnel might take place due to pressure from the container industry, he said.
“As commander of the unit, Philip Schutte was ultimately responsible for what occurred at the unit, but he is not himself under investigation.”
A special investigative task force manned by the industry and assisted by a handful of police has been set up to monitor and continue the fight.
“We have to get the ball rolling, but it is now imperative that we stop these people destroying what is a valuable asset in this country’s economy,” said Shrimpton.