The South African Police Service recorded 2,634 carjackings between March 2003 and April 2004 in Johannesburg, only slightly below the average for the past eight years. Over the same time period, robberies with aggravating circumstances swelled from about 9,500 to 18,721, the highest figures for at least the past 10 years.

To thwart the threat of violent street crime, Jones advises traveling executives to take additional precautions. His firm employs seven professional bodyguards who carry concealed handguns and are trained in spotting kidnapping traps, in evasive driving and in securing meeting venues. “Businesspeople face extraordinary threats that typical tourists wouldn’t have to deal with,” Jones explains. For example, when SBC Communications of San Antonio, Texas, was negotiating the purchase of a stake in South Africa’s state telecommunications provider, Jones planned for the possibility that labor unions would strike and target U.S. executives. He worked with security teams at hotels and convention centers to ensure safety within buildings and plan emergency exits.

To maximize security, Jones recommends that foreign business travelers take the following measures:

•  When contracting a security service, verify its certification with the professional organization Poslec SETA (Police, Private Security, Legal, Correctional Services and Justice Sector Education Training Authority, www.poslecseta.org.za).
•  Find out the official rating—A to E in descending order—given to bodyguards by the South African Department of Labor.
•  Never store personal data, itineraries, photos or other sensitive material on computer networks that are vulnerable to hackers. Instead, keep them on secured laptops or digital media.
•  Train personnel to limit the information they provide regarding executives’ travel and meeting itineraries.
•  When hiring a driver or driving alone, prearrange secure, underground parking.
•  Avoid downtown Johannesburg after dark.
•  Use caution and travel with local guides to cultural attractions in
central Johannesburg, including the Johannesburg Art Gallery, which is located in high-crime Joubert Park.
•  Avoid Hillbrow altogether. If you must visit Alexandra or Soweto, hire guides and interpreters from the local tourist organizations or through your hotel.

Jones explains that organized crime syndicates have exploited securities legislation that requires executives to reveal personal information in publicly available documents. He says such
syndicates—many based in Nigeria—also monitor the media to track executives’ whereabouts.

For $1,000 a day, Jones can arrange for an armored BMW that can withstand automatic gunfire. Visitors can even hire an explosion-resistant Mercedes-Benz with tires that can perform even when deflated.

Tara O’Connor, managing director of Kroll, a global security concern, adds that executives should carefully vet the backgrounds and companies of their South African business partners. Executives should look for signs that a company may have ties to organized crime, a dubious human rights record or racially tinged business practices. Due diligence, she says, includes:

•  Background checks to make sure people are who they claim to be;
•  Checking credit history and criminal records;
•  Interviewing suppliers and other partners to establish their reliability for payment and delivery;
•  Tracking records on corruption, finances and human rights;
•  Examining political affiliations to avoid legal or social entanglements.

O’Connor recently oversaw a preinvestment survey of political risk for a global corporation. The survey, which also assessed operating risks within a specific industry sector, cost $56,000 before expenses, and employed a team of analysts, lawyers and investigators for six weeks. She downplayed the need for extraordinary physical security measures in Johannesburg. But she reminded wary travelers to ensure that private drivers are registered with the South African Department of Transport.