South Africa's criminal landscape is a complex web of mafia-style groups, criminal networks, and state-embedded actors, earning it the second-highest criminality score in Africa, according to the 2025 Enact Africa Organised Crime Index. This score of 7.43 represents a 0.25-point increase from 2024, with only the Democratic Republic of Congo surpassing it at 7.47. The index, compiled by the Institute for Security Studies, Interpol, and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, highlights five types of criminal actors as the most dominant drivers of criminality in Africa, with South Africa scoring eight for mafia-style groups, seven for foreign actors, and seven for private sector actors. The country's criminal markets, particularly the synthetic drug trade and extortion, are also significant contributors to its criminality score.
The synthetic drug market, dominated by methamphetamine (known as 'tik'), is a globalized enterprise with transnational actors from West Africa and Australia involved. Drug cartels from Mexico have even set up meth labs in South Africa, as evidenced by a recent raid that yielded a massive crystal meth haul. Extortion and protection racketeering, often involving heavily armed groups, have become entrenched and violent, impacting sectors like construction, mining, transport, retail, and public services. Construction mafias, in particular, are notorious for extorting companies by threatening to damage sites unless they pay a percentage of the contract value.
The report underscores the need for comprehensive strategies to combat these criminal activities, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these criminal networks and their negative impact on social and state structures. It calls for a multi-faceted approach involving law enforcement, public sector collaboration, and community engagement to address the root causes and mitigate the consequences of organized crime in South Africa.
