South Africans pay a R1 billion ‘robbery tax’ every month

South Africans are unwittingly footing a massive bill every month, with a staggering R1 billion 'robbery tax' being exacted from the economy due to theft, muggings, and cash-related crime. This hidden cost of using physical cash translates to a collective loss of R12 billion annually, with the impact felt not only by consumers but also by businesses and the infrastructure that supports the cash economy. The true extent of this problem is further revealed by the significant costs borne by banks, which account for R21.6 billion of the R27.1 billion in cash supply chain costs per year.