Organized Crime in South Africa: A Challenge to Security and Democracy

A jail cell. Photo byBriefly.

Lives ruined, communities tormented, gun shots day and night with little difference between the two, learners scared to go to school, futures taken, and limited, and economic activity hindered. Those are some of the consequences of gangsterism, organised crime that is getting sophisticated as it continues to harden its grip on South African communities.

The criminal gang activity presents significant challenges to the security of South Africa and to the security and safety of its people. Gangsterism is typically defined as a culture attributed or synonymous with organised gangs, especially involving violence, at least that is how Collins dictionary describes it.

The oppressive era of apartheid played a crucial role in the proliferation of gangsterism. During this dark chapter in South Africa's history, forced removals displaced thousands of families, creating an environment where poverty, inequality, and resentment flourished. Many marginalized individuals found solace and identity in the protective structures offered by gangs like the Numbers Gang.

Post-apartheid, the South African government faced the herculean task of dismantling the deeply entrenched structures of gangsterism. Despite significant efforts, progress has been slow, and the roots of this issue continue to permeate society. Law enforcement agencies have battled against organized crime, launching crackdowns, and implementing community outreach programs. However, the symbiotic relationship between poverty, unemployment, and gang affiliation has proven to be a formidable challenge.

South Africa is grappling with a significant issue of organised crime, as gangs operate nationwide, posing a danger to public safety and security. Although gangsterism is not a new phenomenon in South Africa, its prevalence and violence have escalated in recent years, particularly in the provinces of Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng.

According to a September 2022 report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GITOC), South Africa is ranked as the 10th most vulnerable country in Africa to organised crime. The report also highlights the worsening of organised crime in 42 African countries between 2019 and 2021, with Covid-19 presenting new opportunities and challenges for criminal networks during that time.

As the government grapples with the persistent issue, new strategies are being implemented to address the multifaceted nature of gangsterism. Efforts include community engagement programs, educational initiatives, and economic development projects aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty.

The roots of gangsterism in South Africa are intertwined with the legacy of apartheid, which fostered conditions of poverty, inequality, and marginalization for non-white communities. The Group Areas Act, which forcibly relocated people based on their race, disrupted social cohesion and provided fertile ground for the formation and recruitment of gangs. Some gangs collaborated with or resisted the apartheid regime, depending on their political orientation and interests. Post-apartheid, gangs expanded and professionalised their activities, connecting to the global drug economy and exploiting the weaknesses of the democratic state.

Gangsterism in South Africa is marked by high levels of violence within and between gangs, posing a threat to the general population. Gangs employ firearms, knives, machetes, and other weapons to assert dominance, protect territories, and settle disputes. Gang violence often spills into public spaces, including schools, taverns, shopping malls, and public transport, putting innocent lives at risk.

The Numbers Gang, founded in the 1800s within the confines of the notorious Robben Island prison, has evolved into a complex network of criminal enterprises. Originally established as a form of prison resistance, the gang's three factions, 26, 27, and 28, have since become synonymous with violent crime, drug trafficking, and extortion.

Daily maverick makes mention of 28 general, Welcome Witbooi who left the numbers gang and shared his story where he stated “I was told that there was only one way in and one way out of the number, through blood. So, if I wanted to leave, I would have to die so there was a constant dear of leaving. But the deeper I got the more I understood that when moving up to the highest rank, there was a way out”.

According to the crime statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS) (Click to download report), between 2018 and 2019, 21,022 murders were reported in South Africa, with over 700 committed by children. A local news source in Cape Town reports that children as young as 14 are being incarcerated for gang-related crimes. In the Western Cape, which has the highest concentration of gangs in the country, 821 out of 3,975 murders in the 2019/2020 financial year were gang-related.

Gangsterism in South Africa also adversely affects the economy, the environment, and the country's democracy. Gangs engage in various forms of organised crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling, extortion, money laundering, fraud, corruption, and wildlife poaching. These crimes undermine the rule of law, the legitimacy of the state, and the human rights of victims.

They also deprive the state of revenue, distort the market, and harm the country's natural resources. Furthermore, gangs have infiltrated some sectors of the public and private spheres, influencing or intimidating politicians, officials, businesspeople, journalists, activists, and community leaders. Some observers have raised concerns about whether South Africa is evolving into a "mafia state," where high government officials become integral players in or leaders of criminal enterprises.

The South African government has responded to the gangsterism challenge by introducing various legislative, policy, and operational measures. The Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 (POCA) was enacted to curb criminal gang activity, among other objectives. The Act criminalizes participation in or management of a criminal gang, as well as any offense committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal gang.

The Act also provides for the seizure and forfeiture of the proceeds and instrumentalities of crime and the protection of witnesses and victims of organized crime. The Act is complemented by other laws, such as the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000, the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992, the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013, and the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.

In addition to the legal framework, the government has established specialized units and programs to address gangsterism and organized crime. These include the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU), and the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP). The government has also partnered with civil society organizations, such as the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GITOC), and the Centre for Criminology at the University of Cape Town (UCT), to conduct research, analysis, and advocacy on gangsterism and organized crime.

Furthermore, the government has engaged with community-based initiatives, such as the Community Policing Forums (CPFs), the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW), and the Community Action Networks (CANs), to promote safety and security at the grassroots level.

However, despite these efforts, gangsterism in South Africa remains a persistent and complex problem that requires a holistic and multi-sectoral approach. Some of the challenges and gaps that need to be addressed include:

The lack of resources, capacity, and coordination among law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system, hindering the investigation, prosecution, and conviction of gangsters and organized criminals. The corruption, collusion, and infiltration of some state officials and institutions by gangs and organized crime networks, undermining the credibility and effectiveness of the state and its anti-crime measures.

Socio-economic factors that drive and sustain gangsterism, such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, poor education, substance abuse, and family breakdown, creating a sense of hopelessness, alienation, and vulnerability among youth and communities.

Cultural and psychological factors that attract and retain gang members, such as identity, belonging, status, power, respect, and loyalty, creating a strong bond and commitment to the gang lifestyle. The lack of support and opportunities for gang members who want to exit the gang and reintegrate into society, such as counselling, rehabilitation, education, training, employment, and protection, discouraging and hindering the process of desistance and reformation.

Gangsterism in South Africa poses a threat to the security and democracy of the country, necessitating urgent and comprehensive attention. The government, civil society, and communities must collaborate to prevent, combat, and reduce gangsterism and organised crime, creating a safer and more prosperous society for all.

The government is also investing in rehabilitation programs within the prison system to reshape the trajectory of individuals affiliated with gangs, emphasizing education, vocational training, and psychological support.

On a journal speaking about the Fighting Gangsterism in South Africa, it unpacks a contextual review of gang and anti-gang movements in the western cape, this journal reviewed gangsterism in the western cape province from the 1970 to the early 2000s including strategies in the prevention, intervention, and suppression of gangsterism.

While progress is incremental, there is a recognition that eradicating gangsterism requires a holistic approach. Social, economic, and educational reforms are paramount to address the root causes that fuel gang activity.

Community involvement and collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are increasingly becoming integral components of the anti-gang strategy. By fostering a sense of community pride, offering alternative opportunities, and dismantling the allure of the gang lifestyle, South Africa is working towards a future where gangsterism is a relic of the past.

UNICEF stated that it is essential to optimize the support of a child from the moment of conception. Determining the success of child’s life begins with simple access to early childhood development. services, parental role provisioning and other child and parent programs. South Africa has declared the national Development plan 2030 in order to establish.

Some of the struggles that the government mentioned that it will be using to fight against Gangsterism, is reforming prison response if sources are allocated to rehabilitation programs for children in gangsterism, they are introduced to inspirations and opportunities other than gang affiliation. According to a recent article from the new humanitarian, arrests of gang members are regarded as “Ineffectual in deterring gang members and are also too short to disrupt the organizational structure of gangs.

Coming to the SAPS Modifying responsibilities of the police-safe spaces stated that police reform is necessary in order to provide proper support to victims of the system of gangsterism in South Africa when gang activity occurs, police officers are often stepping beyond the bounds of protecting the community. This response from officers instigates greater insecurity within neighbourhoods that already don’t feel secure. The role of the police is only to contain a gang situation until other departments resolve it.

According to a research Article titled (PDF) The criminalisation of gang activity in South Africa: reassessing the rationale which mentioned there is no doubt, especially within the minds of the inhabitants of the Cape Flats, that criminal gang activity presents a substantial threat to the safety and security of the general public. Of the 3 975 murders in the Western Cape during the 2019/2020 financial year, 821 (20,6%) were gang related. Certain estimates suggest that the cumulative gang membership ranges between 80 000 and 100 000 gang members on the Cape Flats alone and that these gangs.

Contribute up to 70% of all crime committed there. It is believed that approximately 130 gangs (in various manifestations and factions) operate in this area and that one of these gangs, the Americans, has 5 000 members. A further complication is the fact that 85% of police stations in the Western Cape are understaffed which complicates the policing of gangs. The Equality Court has found that the formula used to distribute police resources unfairly discriminated against people 'on the basis of race and poverty'. Several of those areas, such as Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Harare, are gang hot spots.

In the shadows of South Africa's history, the struggle against gangsterism continues, but with each initiative, the nation moves closer to a brighter, crime-free future. The battle is arduous, but the resilience of communities and the commitment of the government provide hope for a South Africa free from the grip of organized crime.