NCJ Number
177790
Date Published
August 1998
Length
75 pages
Annotation
This monograph describes early manifestations of organized criminal groups in South Africa, assesses the development and impact of organized crime in South Africa since 1980, uses case studies to examine the structures of typical syndicates involved in organized crime, and discusses the government's responses to organized crime.
Abstract
Information for the study came from police sources and official documents. The analysis revealed that notorious and often colorful gangs and criminal groups have been present in South Africa throughout its recorded history. Street gangs and the more sophisticated criminal syndicates had developed many common characteristics by 1980. The focus of police investigations in the 1980s was more on individuals than on the criminal conspiracies or the networks behind the organized criminal conduct. In addition, the protection of the political status quo was a higher priority for the government than was crime prevention. The profits from drug trafficking and the police focus on national security rather than crime control were central to the rapid expansion of organized crime in the 1980s. However, the police restructuring of 1990-91 led to a focus on the planners and organizers of crime. The release of Nelson Mandela and the end to the ban on political organizations accelerated the transition process of the police. The six case studies illustrate different composition, structure, method of operating, and stage of development of criminal syndicates. South Africa now needs to ensure that it takes steps through policy, legislation, and resources to link up with the international efforts against organized crime, as exemplified by the treaty-drafting efforts of the United Nations and the European Union on this topic. Figures and reference notes