Article by Kotie Geldenhuys
Photos by Kotie Geldenhuys and courtesy of Freepik
They live among us, invisible yet powerful, turning our streets into their playground. Organised criminal groups are no longer distant threats as they operate in our backyards, exploiting weaknesses and leaving communities at risk. This article will explore how these groups find a place to operate and thrive in South Africa.
Organised criminal groups are not just underground syndicates operating in back alleys or shadowy boardrooms; they are sophisticated networks entrenched in the global market economy. Operating much like multinational corporations, these groups adapt swiftly to political and economic shifts, exploiting opportunities created by free trade zones, regulatory loopholes and disparities in product pricing across jurisdictions. These criminal networks have evolved into highly flexible and transnational enterprises. No longer confined to national borders, they use the same tools as legitimate businesses: digital networks, cross-border logistics and global financial systems, to commit lucrative fraud, counterfeiting and corruption against consumers, public authorities and businesses alike (UNICRI, 2016).
The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC), which came into force in 2003, was established to tackle precisely this problem. Interestingly, the Convention stops short of defining “organised crime” itself but focusses on identifying the characteristics of an “organised criminal group”.
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[This is only an extract of an article published in Servamus: December 2025. This article is available for purchase.]