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Economy

Hijacks a big security concern for SA last-mile delivery companies

Date: Sep 13, 2024

As e-commerce continues to grow in South Africa (SA), last-mile delivery trucks and vans are increasingly becoming prime targets of hijacking syndicates, driving up security costs for these companies, executives said on Thursday.

New international entrants to the market like United States (US) e-commerce giant Amazon.com and fast-fashion online retailers Shein and Temu have also intensified the competition for a greater share of online wallets.

Logistics trucks transporting goods in bulk and parcel delivery vans are "spending an absolute fortune on security", including costs for hiring security to escort these vehicles on the road, Craig Pitchers, Chief Executive Officer of privately-owned The Courier Guy said at an e-commerce conference in Johannesburg, adding that these "kill our margins".

This is in addition to the cost of fuel, which has soared since the pandemic.

These vehicles are targets because they often carry valuable goods.

There are about 20-25 hijacks a day of delivery trucks and vans, Diederick Stopforth, Commercial Executive at SkyNet Worldwide Express added.

--Reuters--