Programme Director
CEO of TISA Francois van der Merwe
Representatives from the Tobacco Industry
Various representatives of government agencies across Africa and Europe
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good morning.
Thank you for inviting me to address you on such an important topic at a very crucial time for all of us.
But before I elaborate, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the organisers of this conference. I have seen some of the media reports and received very positive feedback from my colleagues about the deliberations you have had so far.
When Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (TISA) approached my office a few months ago about the possibility of being part of this conference, I did not hesitate to respond because I am aware of the importance of this relationship. The close working partnership TISA has developed with us through the Hawks and Crime Intelligence is producing good results and therefore very much appreciated. But we need to do more.
I am delighted to be part of this conference because organised crime knows no borders, have no regard for the law and the criminals involved have massive resources and networks they have developed in pursuit of their objectives.
I'm certain that I'm preaching to the converted when I say that left unattended, organised crime has the potential to negatively impact the economy of our country but also the functioning of the state and the rule of law.
What I mean by this is that when you have someone like Krejcir, who is able to pollute various spheres of government including the police, prosecutors, home affairs officials as well as use corrupt means through institutions such as banks, insurance companies and vehicle dealership to commit crimes, then we have a serious problem. That is why it is important for us to fight any activity which may aid organised crime.
Incidentally, the good work that we do does not often enjoy the same level of publicity as the problems we have. So bear with me as a boast a little bit. It has been a year now with Krejcir behind bars. He was arrested on the 22nd of November. The fear which had gripped the Bedfordview community where Krejcir resided has dissipated. Based on what we have uncovered so far, the team is working round the clock to make sure that justice is done.
Francois, I'm certain as CEO of TISA and someone who has been in the industry for some time, you will support me when I say that the police and all relevant role players, including the community, have a big role to play in enabling and maintaining a safe and secure platform for trade in South Africa and the SADC region.
We understand how illicit trading undermines social and economic factors of society. I agree with you that Illegal trade in tobacco products is huge business which often spread to other crimes, like Money Laundering and Drug dealing.
Without a doubt, the police have an extremely important role to play and so are other government departments and the private sector. The police cannot do it alone. However, as police management we are also fighting corruption within our ranks.
That is why in two weeks' time you will learn through the media about 22 police officers we are going to arrest for involvement in illicit trade.
Programme Director, our members are expected to be beyond reproach. Every opportunity I get, i tell my colleagues that if they regard employment in the SAPS as a ticket to self-enrichment then they are horribly wrong. If the safety and security of the community they are supposed to serve is not of paramount importance to them, then there is no room for them in the SAPS. We must praise those that say no to corruption and emulate them.
Combating the Illicit trade in tobacco needs concerted collaborative approaches. Such a challenge cannot be dealt with only by one government department. It has to encompass the entire collaborative effort of the region. Illegal trade undermines economic progress and job creation.
This conference should also be in a position to have in-depth discussions regarding the realistic factors which contribute to illicit tobacco trading. Could it be that the taxes in the tobacco industry are encouraging illicit trade? What other strategies can be used to curb illegal trading of this nature? Could it be problems at our borders? Could it be corruption and other malpractices not only within the police, other government departments but within the industry as a whole? These, I believe, should also be some of our focus points.
Ladies and gentlemen, due to this illicit trade, criminals use the informal markets they have built to distribute other counterfeit goods and committing other crimes eg business robberies and money laundering.
The SAPS is making inroads into combating the illegal trade in tobacco. On 22 October 2014 we confiscated over a million rands worth of illicit cigarettes on the N12 near Kimberley. In the same month we arrested two men in Welkom with raw tobacco with an estimated value of R4 million.
The SAPS exists to uphold the laws of this country. It is therefore our responsibility to take action against anyone who breaks the rules and laws of this country which are enshrined in our Constitution. It is our responsibility to safeguard and exercise the rules, regulations and laws that govern trade in this country. Our future roles and goals are clear.
We are to continue to partner with other government departments such as:
- SARS (Customs);
- Department of Health;
- Department of Trade and Industry;
- Department of Home Affairs;
- Other foreign law enforcement agencies and business institutions, and
- SANDF
The main purpose and focus of such partnerships is to improve law enforcement in order to effectively deal with the threat of illicit tobacco trading. Ladies and gentlemen, may this conference achieve its set purpose, which are to create an effective engagement platform and an integrated approach for 2015.
Thank you.
