Cops warn stokvel members

It is common knowledge in the townships that December is known as the time when most stokvel members share their annual investments. The investment is monies contributed throughout the year by the group’s members and invested in a profit-bearing bank account and can only be withdrawn by the group’s executive and shared among members at the end of the year.

The regular financial contribution made by each member depends on the type of stokvel, the number of members as well as the social status of its members. The combined amount contributed by the members throughout the year is estimated to vary between R50 000 to R500 000 or more per stokvel group annually.

With only weeks left to Christmas, the police have warned community members who belong to stokvel groups about the perils of sharing large amounts of their investments over the next few weeks.

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These amounts are often shared among the members of the stokvel at the end of each year and according to the police, it is around this period that many stokvel groups encounter internal problems of conflict and fraudulent activities from within their ranks.

“This could be in the form of a staged robbery, theft, embezzlement by members of the stokvel in charge of the group’s finances, such as the treasurer. Sometimes the vehicles delivering stokvel food hampers are mysteriously hijacked or robbed while en route to members,” explained Capt Mega Ndobe, a spokesperson for the Katlehong SAPS Cluster.

“We advise people involved with stokvel groups to arrange with their respective banks to assist them in sharing their dividends. The bank will be able to apportion each member his or her equal share into individual bank accounts, instead of all the members gathering at a house to share their investment. This way they will be able to avoid being robbed while transporting the money or after they have withdrawn the money from the bank,” said Ndobe.

According to Ndobe, the risk of being robbed or scammed in a stokvel extends beyond sharing just money.

“Food-hamper stokvels also stand being abused and exploited by their own members as well as outside criminal elements looking for opportunities this time if the year,” Ndobe explained.

Outlining the many different risks faced by food-hamper stokvels, Ndobe said many are targeted by criminals both from within the stokvel groups as well as the criminal element outside.

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“One or two members may arrange for the vehicle used to deliver the food hampers to be hijacked or stolen with the food hampers inside,” he added.

Ndobe said previous investigations proved the stolen food hampers, as well as the hijacked vehicle, are often sold to crime syndicates. The hampers are sold to syndicates that channel back into the food market by reselling them as groceries to spaza-shop owners.”

To workers who will be receiving year-end bonuses, Ndobe warned people against carrying large amounts of cash on their person.

“You are like a person who is openly carrying a firearm on him in public and walking on the streets. You are bound to be followed and attacked,” he warned.

Most people with a bit of extra Christmas bonus cash in their wallets will soon be going out to have fun with family, friends and relatives to celebrate the festive season.

“We urge members of the public to refrain from withdrawing large amounts of cash from the bank or the ATM as they risk being followed and robbed. The only advice we can give the public is that they should stay alert and aware of their surroundings at all times,” Ndobe said.

According to the SAPS, most robberies where victims are followed from the bank are often orchestrated by individual criminals or syndicates, some in cahoots with “moles” planted inside the bank.

“The criminal, or “mole”, will even get into a taxi, bus or train with you until he can find the right moment to rob or even kill you. Sometimes this means following you right into your home and then rob or kill you inside your house,” explained Ndobe.

He told Kathorus MAIL the police have had numerous similar crimes committed around this time of the year. He said such crimes are tricky and often difficult to solve as they require dedicated crime intelligence work to solve.

What to do when you find yourself being followed:

• Make sure the vehicle you suspect to be following you is not just a motorist driving elsewhere by making several manoeuvres. Once sure, drive straight to the nearest police station or garage.

• Be wary of strange accidents such as someone bumping your car from the back at a stop street or while you are driving. Don’t stop, simply drive straight to the nearest police station and report the incident.

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Focusing on drunk driving will, according to Ndobe, be on the priority list of infringements the SAPS urges road users to refrain from. Ndobe said motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol risk being either:

• involved in a road accident,

• being killed or crippled for life,

• being assaulted,

• raped, or

• hijacked.

“We are appealing to motorists to refrain from drinking and driving during the festive season,” said Ndobe, who urged members of the public to observe the law at all times for the sake of their own safety, both at home and on the road.