SA must be ready for a new threat

July 2003 News & Events

As I write this, most front pages of the local newspapers are filled up with the story of an extortion campaign targeting Pick 'n Pay.

At the time of going to press, the supermarket group had withdrawn all products that might contain poison at stores nationwide and had markedly stepped up security and surveillance measures at all stores. This included installing more cameras at store entrances and conducting searches of customers' parcels.

Personally, I think that the supermarket group should be applauded for the manner in which it has handled the blackmail campaign for two reasons ie: by going public, it has dealt a hefty blow to the extortionist/s plan to force the company to stay silent and pay up and, it has also shown that the lives of its customers are more important than that of its profit margins. However, assuming the guilty party is caught, will this be the end of the first known case of consumer terrorism in South Africa?

The experts believe it will not and fear that this could be the beginning of a new phenomenon. Speaking to www.iol.co.za, Dr Mark Welman, director of the Centre for Crime Prevention at Rhodes University, South Africa is vulnerable and not adequately prepared for extortion attempts on corporations or threats of poisoned products.

This type of thing has happened in Europe and the United States before. The most notable incident took place in 1982 when seven people in the Chicago area died of cyanide poisoning between 29 September and 1 October, after taking extra-strength Tylenol pain killer capsules. No one was charged with the murders, but James Lewis was convicted of trying to extort $1 million from Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson immediately alerted consumers not to consume any type of Tylenol product. They recalled about 310 million bottles of Tylenol with a sales value of more than $100 million. Of course, there is also the issue of a brand name being seriously damaged by such an act as well as the loss of millions of rands because contaminated products have to be destroyed.

Welman predicts that consumer terrorism is something that will start occurring more frequently here. "South Africa is not prepared for this. We are still in the infant stage of understanding risk management," he explained. I agree.

We at Hi-Tech Security Solutions have always stressed the need for companies to adopt and implement an effective risk management strategy - one that protects the company, its profits and its people. Now that the King II Report has recommended that risk management policies be implemented at board level and in light of this new threat that is upon us, let us hope that companies give serious thought to their security and risk management policies.

It must also be said that a security solution cannot simply comprise a surveillance operation and the presence of security personnel. Rather, a holistic approach - that includes a carefully thought out security policy, the use of technology and well-trained staff - is required to ensure business continuity.

Focus on surveillance

Included in this issue is a special cut-out of CCTV terms and definitions which should be a handy resource for those in the surveillance industry.

Finally, great news for all those in the surveillance industry. Technews, publisher of Hi-Tech Security Solutions and The International Security Education Council (ISEC) will be hosting a conference on 'Defining International CCTV Best Practice' on 7-8 September 2003.

Speakers will include US CCTV guru, Charlie Pierce, who has been to South Africa previously, internationally renowned Mike Tennent of Tavcom Training in the UK, who has conducted training worldwide, and local representative of ISEC and Hi-Tech Security Solutions' consulting editor, Craig Donald.

Gerard Peter - Editor





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Highest increase in global cyberattacks in two years
Information Security News & Events
Check Point Global Research released new data on Q2 2024 cyber-attack trends, noting a 30% global increase in Q2 2024, with Africa experiencing the highest average weekly per organisation.

Read more...
The power of PKI and private sector innovation
Access Control & Identity Management News & Events Government and Parastatal (Industry)
At the recent ID4Africa 2025 Summit in Addis Ababa, the spotlight was firmly on building secure, inclusive, and scalable digital identity ecosystems for the African continent.

Read more...
Bosch Security renamed Keenfinity
News & Events
Globally renowned brands for video systems, access control and intrusion alarm systems, as well as communication systems, unite under the roof of the new company Keenfinity Group.

Read more...
2025 video surveillance market set for improved fortunes
News & Events Surveillance
Novaira Insights has unveiled its latest report, World Market for Video Surveillance Hardware and Software – 2025 Edition, forecasting a healthy growth rate of 8,1% until 2029, excluding China.

Read more...
Wialon announces integration with fleet maintenance and optimisation platform
News & Events Transport (Industry) Logistics (Industry)
Fleet management software platform integrates with a fleet maintenance and optimisation platform to support mutual customers for better workflows and deeper insights into fleet operations.

Read more...
DeepSneak deception
Information Security News & Events
Kaspersky Global Research & Analysis researchers have discovered a new malicious campaign which is distributing a Trojan through a fake DeepSeek-R1 Large Language Model (LLM) app for PCs.

Read more...
Almost 50% of companies choose to pay the ransom
News & Events Information Security
This year’s Sophos State of Ransomware 2025 report found that nearly 50% of companies paid the ransom to get their data back, the second-highest rate of ransom payment for ransom demands in six years.

Read more...
Value and industry insight
Securex South Africa Training & Education News & Events
Securex South Africa 2025, co-located with A-OSH EXPO, Facilities Management Expo, and Firexpo, drew thousands of security professionals from across the continent and beyond, offering a platform for networking, product discovery, and knowledge sharing.

Read more...
Gallagher Security achieves ISO 27001 recertification
News & Events Training & Education
Gallagher Security has successfully achieved certification to the updated ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). This accomplishment builds on previous certifications and reflects a continued commitment to the highest standards of information security.

Read more...
Survey highlights cost of cyberdamage to industrial companies
Kaspersky Information Security News & Events
The majority of industrial organisations estimate their financial losses caused by cyberattacks to be over $1 million, while almost one in four report losses exceeding $5 million, and for some, it surpasses $10 million.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.