South Africa ranks among TOP TEN nations for high crime

South Africa battles a global crime surge as the 2023 Global Organised Crime Index ranks the country seventh worldwide and third in Africa.

SA is now a key battleground in the fight against numerous semi-criminal networks and groups with global links. These entities engage in various illegal pursuits, including drug trade, armed theft, and fraud.

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South Africa ranks 7 in the global organised crime index

The 2023 Global Organised Crime Index, issued on Tuesday, revealed SA’s criminality score as 7.18 out of 10. This ranks it seventh worldwide among 193 countries and third in Africa. In 2021, South Africa scored 6.63 in the same index.

Myanmar holds the highest criminality score at 8.15, followed by Colombia at 7.75 and Mexico at 7.57. In Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 7.35 and Nigeria with 7.28 surpass SA.

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According to IOL, the report paints a concerning picture of South Africa’s criminal networks, often nourished by corrupt connections, deeply rooted in the nation.

Hotspot for drug trafficking among other crimes

SA is a hotspot for organized criminal activities, including drug trafficking, cash-in-transit heists, poaching, robberies, and more. Violent, mafia-style groups, armed and linked to high levels of violence, are gaining prominence, particularly in major cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban.

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Foreign criminal actors, particularly from West Africa, South America, China, Pakistan, Israel, and southern and eastern European nations, have a strong presence in South African criminal markets, especially in major cities.

Instead of controlling specific markets, these criminals serve as ‘interfaces,’ exerting considerable economic and financial influence.

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South Africa’s score in 2021 was 6.63, the last time the index was published.

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