Kidnappings in Gauteng have more than doubled since last year, according to the ‘Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) Violence Survey 2022’, which was carried out in partnership with financial institutions BNP Paribas and RCS.

The survey, which has been undertaken for three consecutive years since 2020, was aimed at understanding the impact of violence on vulnerable communities, as well as its impact on business, with the focus of the survey being on the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

WPDI conflict resolution and peace building expert Siphathisiwe Dhlamini, who presented some of the findings during a webinar on November 22, said that between January and June this year, an average of 579 kidnappings a month were reported in Gauteng, up from an average of 277 for the same period in 2021 and 182 in 2019.

This reflects similar figures reported by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in its crime statistics report for the first quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, which recorded a 136% year-on-year increase in Gauteng kidnappings for the period April to June, from 809 in 2021 to 1 909 in 2022.

Nationally, the SAPS reported a 59.1% year-on-year increase in kidnappings for the period, with 3 550 in 2022, compared with 2 232 in 2021.

In terms of other types of violence surveyed by WPDI over the past three years, most saw an increase from 2020 to 2021, with a decline reflected this year.

Aside from the sharp rise in kidnappings, other notable exceptions in the survey were reports of non-sexual physical violence – which rose sharply from 38% of respondents in 2020 to 61% this year – and threats of violence for money or goods – which went from 23% in 2020 to 52% this year.

Dhlamini said 74% of the those surveyed said they felt unsafe in their neighbourhoods, which she said reflected an upward trend.

Moreover, 39% said they believed that poverty and hunger were the primary cause of violence – up from 23% last year.

Overall, gangs were said to be responsible for violent crimes by 53% of respondents in 2022, up from 38% in 2020. This increase was reflected in all three provinces surveyed, although the Western Cape still experienced the highest level of gang violence across the sample.

In terms of how violence is impacting businesses, 44% of respondents said it was becoming a major contributing factor to absenteeism in the workplace – up 3% from 2021.

RCS human resources executive Sandi Richardson said that, even when employees suffering from violent crimes were able to get to work, such violence had a negative impact on their ability to perform.

Overall, companies were seen as generally helpful towards those employees struggling with violence in their neighbourhoods, with transport, therapy and educational programmes being among the most common interventions.

Richardson said that, while counselling was noted as the most helpful solution by most individuals, the survey revealed that only about 18% of organisations offer it.

“The research reveals a disconnect between the support victims feel they need, and the support employers offer. More open, honest communication between employers and their affected employees would assist organisations to implement more effective solutions,” she said.