South Africa’s major airports logged 1,823 formally reported baggage-theft incidents over the past three years, with OR Tambo International responsible for the bulk of cases, authorities said.
Incidents concentrated at OR Tambo
The Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, reported the aggregated figure covering OR Tambo, Cape Town International and King Shaka airports for the 2023–2026 period. OR Tambo accounted for 1,369 of those cases, leaving Cape Town with 306 and King Shaka with 148.
Those numbers refer to criminal theft cases formally registered with the South African Police Service (SAPS). They exclude incidents not reported to police, losses managed internally by airlines, and investigations conducted by airport operators, SAPS emphasised.
Separate tally for pilferage at Cape Town and King Shaka
The count of 1,823 does not include so-called baggage pilferage figures at Cape Town and King Shaka. Airport operators provided separate totals for items removed from checked luggage while in transit: Cape Town reported 241 pilferage cases over the same period and King Shaka reported 105.
Airport and policing sources said pilferage is typically handled differently from general theft, with some incidents resolved internally by airlines or airport security rather than converted into criminal cases recorded by SAPS.
- Total formally reported thefts (2023–2026): 1,823
- OR Tambo: 1,369 thefts
- Cape Town: 306 thefts; 241 pilferage incidents
- King Shaka: 148 thefts; 105 pilferage incidents
| Airport | Formally reported thefts | Pilferage (separate) |
|---|---|---|
| OR Tambo International | 1,369 | — |
| Cape Town International | 306 | 241 |
| King Shaka International | 148 | 105 |
Coordinated response under way
To address the problem, the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), the South African Police Service and the Ministry of Transport have formed a multi-agency effort to monitor and prevent recurring patterns of theft, the Ministry of Transport said.
"The Working Group provides a coordinated, multi-stakeholder appr"
ACSA has also established a working group focused on preventing baggage pilferage. That group includes the Airline Operators Committee (AOC) and the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), and aims to improve co-ordination between airport management, airlines and law enforcement.
Officials said sharper data-sharing, targeted patrols and tighter access control around baggage- handling areas are among the measures being pursued. The exact operational details and timelines for these interventions were not provided.
Why the distinction matters
Transport and policing sources emphasised that the headline figure of 1,823 should be read with the qualifiers supplied by SAPS and airport operators. Incidents classified as "general theft" and those classed as "pilferage" follow different investigative and administrative paths. As a result, the total burden of luggage loss and theft experienced by passengers is higher than the formal-theft tally alone suggests.
Passengers who experience luggage loss should report the incident to airport lost-and-found, their airline, and to SAPS where criminal conduct is suspected, officials advised. The process for recovering items varies depending on whether an incident is managed internally by an airline or formally recorded as a police case.
Transport authorities said the situation remains under active review. Further data and progress reports from the inter-agency working group are expected but had not been scheduled publicly by the time of reporting. This story is developing and may be updated as more information becomes available.
