Commercial Branch

Historical Perspective

The Johannesburg Company Fraud Staff was established in 1947 and was the only one of its kind in South Africa. Difficult and substantial commercial crimes committed all over South Africa were referred to Johannesburg for investigation (Sherman in Van der Walt, 1975:359).

As a result of the general increase in commercial crime, the Commercial Branch was reorganised and expanded in 1969. The Headquarters of the branch was in Johannesburg, with branches in Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and later Klerksdorp (Sherman in Van der Walt 1975:359). In August 1982 the Commercial Branch, Head Office was moved from Johannesburg to the South African Police Head Office in Pretoria.

To keep up with changes in the external environment, and in view of the increasing pressure from the financial and business sector to police commercial crime more effectively, the Commercial Branch was reorganised in the period 1988 - 1997.

The Commercial Branch then comprises of nine provincial offices in the Republic of South Africa and consists of -

• twelve Commercial Crime Units;

• thirteen Syndicate Fraud Units; and

• forty three Fraud Units

During 2002, the Commercial Branch underwent a restructuring process. The aim to this restructuring was to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency.

The Commercial Branch comprises of 17 new branches

• seventeen Commercial Branches

• one Serious Economic Offences unit

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