South Africa Passes a ‘Crime-busting’ Statute

Abstract

The Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 1998, and its two amendment Acts passed in 1999 represent a major effort on the part of the South African authorities to combat the rapid growth in organized crime, money laundering and criminal gang activities both nationally and internationally. The Preamble to the 1998 Act provides a useful background. It states that because it is:“usually very difficult to prove the direct involvement of organised crime leaders in particular cases, because they do not perform the actual criminal activities themselves, it is necessary to criminalise the management of, and related conduct in connection with enterprises which are involved in a pattern of racketeering activity.”