Major risk for anyone checking in a bag at a South African airport

Nearly 2,000 cases of baggage theft were recorded at South Africa’s three biggest airports over the last three years.

This was revealed by Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, during a parliamentary Q&A about criminal activities at the nation’s airports.

Cachalia confirmed that 1,823 baggage theft cases had been formally registered at Cape Town International, King Shaka International, and OR Tambo International between 2023 and 2026.

All of these cases were registered with the South African Police Service (SAPS). OR Tambo accounted for the majority of cases with 1,369 incidents reported during the period under review.

However, it is important to bear in mind that OR Tambo’s crime administration groups baggage-related theft and pilferage incidents under general theft, while Cape Town and King Shaka record these separately.

Cape Town recorded 306 cases of baggage theft, and King Shaka recorded 148 cases.

Baggage pilferage, which is a separate act where items are stolen from a person’s bag during transit, is excluded from the 1,823 cases of baggage theft recorded at all three airports.

During the three-year period, Cape Town reported 241 cases of baggage pilferage, while King Shaka recorded 105 cases.

Cracking down on theft at South Africa’s airports

The Department of Transport and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) are working together to implement a prevention and enforcement strategy to monitor recurring theft patterns, according to BusinessTech.

ACSA, in partnership with the Airline Operators Committee (AOC), the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), and the SAPS, created the Airport Baggage Pilferage Prevention Working Group

“The Working Group provides a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach to identifying, mitigating, and monitoring baggage pilferage risks across the end-to-end baggage handling process,” explained Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy.

She added that the new crime prevention strategy will monitor key areas, such as passenger check-in and drop-off zones, baggage sorting, processing, and conveyer systems, and baggage screening and security control points.

Creecy said that the primary responsibility for handling investigations, processing claims, and providing passenger compensation lies with the relevant airline, as they are considered the legal custodian of checked luggage throughout transit.

While ACSA does not directly handle baggage claims, it does support the process through security actions, such as reviewing CCTV footage with the SAPS.

Additionally, ACSA conducts targeted security reviews to identify operational weaknesses in restricted baggage-handling areas and improve security and access-control points.

She said that ACSA does not pay direct financial compensation to passengers unless specific liability on the part of the airport operator is proven.

If a case of theft, negligence or liability is established against an airline, ground handler, or worker, ACSA collaborates with stakeholders to assist passengers through formal claims processes.