Pilfering on the rise at OR Tambo

The chief executive of SAA, Siza Mzimela told a Parliamentary portfolio committee on tourism that the Airports Company South Africa's baggage handlers were helping themselves to passengers' possessions.

She says that the passengers on the flights blame the carriers for the losses but none of the airlines flying into South Africa, including SAA, are responsible for baggage handling as that is controlled by ACSA.

IOL reports Mzimela as saying that SAA contributed R11,7-billion to the country gross domestic product through the leisure and business tourism and supported 58 000 jobs for people involved in the tourism sector.

Business Day says that pilferage levels were double the world average at 0,6 per 1000 passengers compared with 0,3 per thousand.

Read more:

• IOL: Pilfering at OR Tambo 'is out of control again'

• Business Day: Baggage theft 'is out of control'