Abstract
This paper presents extend of the spread of organised crime in South Africa. The purpose of the paper is to highlight how transition to democracy added fuel for the growth of organised crime in South Africa. Political changes in South Africa provided openings for criminals which had not existed previously. When apartheid ended, border controls were weakened, thus creating potential areas of operation for organised crime. The paper used secondary data, collected from various scholarly documents on organised crime in South Africa. Findings reveal that organised crime was transformed from a domestic to an international phenomenon and from a law and order problem to a national and international security threat. Organised crime is a major threat to social stability and economic growth. It is also viewed as a major impediment to good governance and security in Africa. Policing organised crime relies heavily on the ability of the police agencies to gather intelligence on groups, activities and individuals and their contacts. The paper draws conclusions from the findings and makes recommendations on measures that can be put in place to reduce organised crime problem in South Africa.
Highlights
The initial signs of organised crime in South Africa can be attributed to the so called Chinese Traid societies
Comparative evidence suggests that organised crime syndicates develop most rapidly in periods of political transition, when government resources are concentrated in certain areas only and gaps materialize in which organised criminal groups may function
This study suggests that the high profit earn from organised has had an adverse effect on the spread of organised crime in South Africa and in the world as a whole
Summary
The initial signs of organised crime in South Africa can be attributed to the so called Chinese Traid societies. The World Justice Information Network News [3] state that authoritarian controls at point of entry into North America and most European states, Southern Africa’s favourable position on the drug trafficking paths between the Far and Middle East, the Americas and Europe and its accessibility through land, sea and air made it a profitable area for prohibited business Given these dynamics, a report by the World Economic Forum quoted Republic of South Africa as having an organised crime problem second only to Columbia and Russia. The transition from the apartheid regime to current democratic dispensation had premeditated priorities that left organised crime almost unattended as more persistent issues were pursued This has created a sufficient opportunity for organised crime syndicates to establish their operations in South Africa. Journal and books were used to conduct this study
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