Media Statement
IT IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PREVENT CRIME
IT IS UP TO PRIVATE SECURITY, MORE THAN ANY OTHER,
TO STAND UP AGAINST THE CRIMINALS
16th January 2022
Since 2014, Vision Tactical has focused on keeping our clients safe by investing in crime prevention infrastructure, combating strategies, surveillance and we have built partnerships and collaborations with law enforcement, private security, and emergency medical services. Through these collaborations our clients are safer, and its benefited communities with many successful crime prevention campaigns, arrests of suspects and convictions.
Recent reports indicated a drastic increase of kidnapping cases across South Africa. However, there has been significant breakthroughs in the past year, resulting in the arrests of syndicates and we are confident that police are combating kidnapping for ransom cases. While every case is a case too many, we must note that kidnapping for ransom cases make up only 5% of reported cases. Most kidnappings are because of robberies and hijackings or domestic issues, and to simply analyse risk based on these cases creates panic that strains investigative resources. While these cases must be reported as kidnappings, we must look at categorizing cases so that recourses can be prioritized, and we get a better understanding of the risks.
The strong relationship between private security and law enforcement has resulted in breakthrough progress
with major kidnapping syndicates. It is up to our industry, more than any other, to stand up against criminals and the constitutional rights of the powerless, the disenfranchised and the vulnerable, when and where those rights are endangered.
The state is mandated to investigate kidnappings. Vision Tactical is a PSIRA registered company and committed to serving our community and upholding our duties as members of the private security industry.
COLLABORATION IS KEY AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME
CAN ONLY SUCCEED BY A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH
Significant progress has been made through our company, Vision Tactical and our collaborations with law enforcement. In the last 18 months we contributed towards SAPS successes in tackling kidnapping syndicates: the safe rescue of 54 victims without a ransom being paid, 86 suspects arrested for their involvement in kidnappings and majority of these suspects are still in custody with legal proceedings continuing in courts. While it is impossible to quantify the exact number of kidnappings that were prevented through the interventions of Anti-Kidnapping Unit operations, findings and investigations, we are satisfied knowing that our direct communication with the SAPS, Gauteng Provincial Government through the provincial war room, Gauteng Traffic Police, the Metro Police departments, Tracker Connect, other security providers and emergency medical services is making a notable difference.
This is confirmation that we can be much more effective in protecting communities from criminals and potential kidnapping risks if partnerships done with the private sector respect the authority of the law and law enforcement drawing on the resources and footprint of private security companies.
OUR CRIME PREVENTION OBJECTIVES ARE THE SAME
AND WE MUST SUPPORT ENTITIES TOWARDS A CRIME FREE SOUTH AFRICA.
Our passionate members continue providing pro bono services and resources on matters which serve to uphold the values set out in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, particularly to support police investigations relating to kidnapping, human trafficking extortion and intimidation reaffirming our commitment to combat the criminal syndicates. Building on our ethos of public service within our team, there is nothing more professionally satisfying than the expressions of gratitude we receive from victims and their families. These generous expressions reinvigorate our efforts and help us understand the nature of our professional impact to combat kidnappings without any financial benefit or gain.
This year we will extent the commitment within targeted areas offering free practical safety skills to schools and engagements with students to give children independence. We aim to give parents the right information, and to ensure professionals have the right policies, promoting approaches and campaigns that helps to build children’s confidence – rather than causing panic and making the outside world seem more frightening.
We will continue to call on role players to promote mechanisms within the law so that we can equip ourselves to collectively fight crime and remain determined to bear down on kidnapping and extortion in South Africa, in all its forms. Our crime prevention objectives are the same and we must support entities towards a crime free South Africa.
Our appreciation to the SAPS and all other law enforcement agencies is expressed in our commitment to support the dedicated police investigators that risk their lives so that our communities are safer. Their success is our success and the success of society.
The community support and prayers give us the strength to continue. We reaffirm that our only intention is to sincerely stop the kidnappings and pray that the Almighty keep all our members protected as we work towards our envisaged crime free South Africa.
ENDS
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Media Enquiries:
MOHAMED DABHELIA – 074 772 3333
comms@visiontactical.co.za
www.visiontactical.co.za
