Theft remained the most frequently recorded crime at OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka International Airports, while narcotics cases increased each year.
General theft and narcotics smuggling remain the dominant security challenges across South Africa’s major aviation hubs — OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka international airports —according to newly released parliamentary data spanning three financial years from 2023 to 2026.
Conversely, serious violent crimes such as armed robbery and hijackings remained rare or isolated.
Information regarding theft and narcotics cases came to light after DA MP Lisa-Maré Schickerling submitted parliamentary questions to Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia.
Schickerling asked for details on all criminal and security-related incidents that occurred in the past three financial years at the OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka airports relating to baggage handling and baggage pilfering, breaches of aviation security protocols, armed robberies, theft, hijackings, syndicate-related crimes, and narcotics smuggling.
