SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SAICB/SAPS PROJECT IN KWA ZULU NATAL
In a joint initiative with the South African Police (SAP) and the South African Insurance Industry through the South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB) a pilot project was established to address concerns raised over the high percentage of stolen and recovered vehicles in custody of the South African Police in the Kwazulu Natal Province. It was agreed that a pilot project start at the Vehicle Identification and Safeguarding Section (VISS) in Isipingo, Durban.
A four month project with inception date 2 August 2010 has now finally drawn to a successful close on 26 November 2010.
An eight-man SAP project team was assigned to the project and along with representatives allocated to the project from the insurance industry, began the daunting task of identifying the vehicles and contacting the private owners and/or insurers of the vehicles to facilitate the recoveries.
The short term insurance industry also provided vehicle identification and recovery expertise through their personnel, and assisted the SAP in identification and release of vehicles. Protocols were established to enhance expediency in the identification and releasing of stolen recovered vehicles. This project proved to be an example of what can be achieved when business and the SAP collaborate to address a problem that affects both. The insurers were not the only beneficiaries of this project, as the project also identified vehicles for uninsured owners of SA.
Any questions over the success of the project are best answered on reflection of what has been achieved within this short period. The results exceeded the expectation of the South African Police and the insurance industry. The project’s success proves that such Public and Private sector partnerships can be beneficial not only to the South African Police and the insurance industry but a benefit is also derived by all the people of South Africa.
During the scope of the project the Intervention Team disposed of approximately 2500 vehicles and saved the insurance industry, the financial industry as well as the uninsured members of the public more than R18 million. Members of the public (uninsured people) were extremely happy with the fact that the intervention team and especially the insurers called them to collect their uninsured vehicles.
In monetary terms, from the benefit and savings achieved, it is clear that this partnership has been an overwhelming success. One speculates at what can be achieved should such project be implemented nationally.
The SAICB are now working on rolling out this project to cover the KwaZulu Natal police station pounds and to eventually roll this out to the rest of the provinces with the permission and assistance of the SAP. The SAICB hopes to have a project approved in the near future to assist with the cleanup of possible backlogs. The SAICB is planning on extending the project to the surrounding countries, with the Lesotho pounds cleanup planned for early 2011.
The SAP has a legal obligation to recover, safeguard and to release stolen/recovered motor vehicles to persons who may lawfully take possession thereof free from any financial obligation.
The role players, Provincial Commissioner Lt. General B M Ngobeni, Maj. General J W Booysen, Brigadier SS Vezi, Project Leader Lt/Colonel Deckford and his staff, the SAICB, Hugo van Zyl and the staff of the Insurance Industry are commended for their outstanding achievement.
Quote by Hugo van Zyl:
“The SAICB was officially launched on 31 October 2008 and in just over two years has established itself not only as a valuable tool in the fight against insurance fraud and related crimes, but has also brought the various agencies working in the broader fight against commercial crime closer together to the benefit of all.”
“The SAICB is proud of the successful completion of this project and for the invaluable assistance of our members and their representatives who have spent the last four months diligently working on this project. The SAICB would also like to extend its gratitude to the SAP Kwazulu Natal, the Project team and management, in particular Lt Colonel Deckford and his management team and staff.”
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Please contact the following people for comments:
- Lt Col Vincent Mdunge: Media officer of the SAP, KZN on (031) 325 4902 or 079 525 8062 – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Lt Col FAB Deckford the Project Leader on 039 – 6859200 or 082 494 6514 – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Hugo van Zyl COO of the SAICB 011 – 021 1432 or 082 602 2721 – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it