Criminals hit businesses in Free State’s second-largest city
Business break-ins remain a serious concern in South Africa in 2024, with the number of incidents still alarmingly high, despite a slight year-on-year decrease.
Fidelity Services Group, a major private security provider, has flagged a significant rise in business burglaries in the city of Welkom, the Free State’s second-largest city, marking it as a hotspot for this type of crime.
According to Fidelity Services Group, six business break-ins were reported in Welkom during the first week of September alone.
Charnel Hattingh, Group Head of Marketing and Communications for Fidelity Services, emphasised that the company has observed a sharp rise in the number of commercial properties targeted by criminals in the area.
While nationwide statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS) show a year-on-year decline in non-residential property burglaries in 2024, the situation in Welkom paints a more troubling picture.
Official SAPS crime statistics for the first six months of 2024 revealed that business break-ins remain a persistent issue across the country.
Between January and June, a staggering 26,318 break-ins were reported, equating to an average of 146 businesses hit by burglars every day.
While this represents a 12.5% decrease from the same period in 2023, the numbers remain unacceptably high, underscoring the ongoing threat to businesses.
Gauteng accounted for the highest proportion of business break-ins, with 21.9% of the total incidents reported in the province, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (14.3%) and the Western Cape (12.4%).
Despite these numbers, Gauteng did not feature among the country’s worst-hit areas for this type of crime.
Instead, other regions, particularly Welkom, saw a spike in incidents.
The SAPS statistics revealed that Rustenburg in the North West, Thohoyandou in Limpopo, and Welkom in the Free State were the hardest-hit areas for business break-ins during the first quarter of 2024/25 (April to June).
These areas experienced alarming increases compared to the same period in 2023, with Rustenburg seeing a 50.5% rise, Thohoyandou a 69.6% jump, and Welkom a 32.9% surge in break-ins.
Welkom’s surge in criminal activity propelled it from the fifth worst area for business break-ins in the first quarter of 2023 to third in the country in 2024.
The top 10 worst areas for business break-ins in South Africa for 2024 are:
- Rustenburg, North West
- Thohoyandou, Limpopo
- Welkom, Free State
- Worcester, Western Cape
- East London, Eastern Cape
- Mount Road, Eastern Cape
- Polokwane, Limpopo
- Park Road, Free State
- Brits, North West
- Durban Central, KwaZulu-Natal
Hattingh highlighted the importance of business owners remaining vigilant and ensuring that their security systems are fully functional.
“Business owners need to be particularly aware and vigilant,” she said. “They must ensure that their alarm and security systems are tested regularly and are in working condition.”
She also stressed the critical role of alarm systems, particularly the battery backup system, which should be tested regularly.
“Like your vehicle, in order to make sure it runs properly, it needs to be serviced regularly. The same applies to your alarm system,” Hattingh added.
“It must be regularly tested to ensure it’s working at all times.”
Given the rising number of incidents in Welkom and other areas, Hattingh’s advice serves as a timely reminder for business owners across the country to be proactive in securing their properties.
With the situation in certain regions worsening, businesses must remain prepared to protect themselves from the continuing threat of burglaries.
While South Africa has seen a decline in overall business break-ins in 2024, the numbers are still high, and specific areas like Welkom have experienced a concerning rise in incidents.
Businesses, particularly in high-risk areas, must remain vigilant, regularly test their security systems, and take all necessary precautions to safeguard their properties against crime.
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