Baggage theft down: ACSA

13 August 2009 - 08:52
By Troye Lund

Reported baggage theft at South Africa’s airports is now within internationally acceptable levels, says the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).

While it concedes that not all cases are reported, it has assured parliament that new legislation will see a crack down on baggage pilferers before millions of visitors descend of the country for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

The world benchmark for baggage pilfering is 0.1% of all bags screened and handled.

In 2007/08 South Africa’s baggage theft rate was 0.15% but this has come down to 0.06% and ACSA hopes to get this down further by the time the world cup kicks off next June.

Part of the problem is that people no longer report baggage theft and then are not willing or able to go and lay a charge with the police as required.

The new law, however, will ensure that the legal procedure changes so that the passenger is not required to lay charges, any airport staff caught tampering with or moving a bag illegally will automatically be guilty of a criminal offence.

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