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In this clip from CCTV cameras, thieves help themselves to goods inside a Boxer Superstores warehouse in Prospecton. They were unconcerned about the cameras
Durban – Business owners in Prospecton, Durban, are threatening to move their businesses or close shop if the police fail to deal with crime.
The consequence will be the loss of hundreds of jobs, they warn.
The threats were made in an emergency meeting on Wednesday as CCTV footage came to light showing thieves plundering warehouses – apparently unconcerned that they were being filmed.
Some footage was filmed inside the Boxer Superstores warehouse and TI Automotive. The robbers are seen carrying boxes, electric cable and, in one case, handing each other laptops.
They try to avoid the CCTV camera, and later turn it away. In some footage they are seen carrying a bolt cutter, which they had used to cut locks to gain entry.
The break-ins were recorded between 5pm and 11pm over several months.
Councillor Kilacharan Soonilall, Isipingo community police forum member Satish Chinna and Captain Ntombifuthi Mthiyane of the Isipingo police station were at Wednesday meeting.
The business owners said they were taking turns patrolling the area all night to protect their goods.
TI Automotive general manager Malcolm James said he lost goods valued at R25 000 in one night.
If the company were to move from the area 200 employees would be out of work, he said. He was contemplating not renewing the lease.
“If there is too much risk and no reward, having a business here is not worth it. I have discussed the issue of relocating with my employees and they are scared,” he said.
James, whose business supplies a product to Toyota for manufacturing purposes, said he was spending R150 000 a month on security.
TI Automotive has branches in Pretoria, East London and Port Elizabeth. It also has branches in Asia, Europe and America.
A director of Sylko, Pooven Murugan, said he had increased his monthly spending on security to R45 000.
Other affected businesses were Kintetsu World Express and Sews SA.
Most companies are international and have branches around the country.
The businessmen suspected that a nearby transit camp in Isipingo, which was started two years ago, was where the criminals were lurking.
They said they understood poverty and unemployment was the cause of crime, but they pleaded for police visibility.
Boxer’s logistics and distribution manager, Clinton van Rooyen, said criminals gained entry to his property by climbing over a fence near an area of bush.
Soonilall offered to speak to either the eThekwini Municipality or Transnet to arrange for the area be cleared. He was unsure which of the two owned the ground. Mthiyane said she would brief her station commissioner about what she had heard and she hoped that more officers would be sent to patrol the area.
Chinna said the Isipingo station commander should be invited to meet the business representatives.
“We also need to establish a Business Against Crime committee,” he said.
The Mercury
