Organised crime is on the rise in South Africa, according to a report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime.
Upon analysis of 15 illicit markets, the report, published in September, ranks South Africa among the world’s most notorious mafia states, in the same basket as Guatemala, Brazil and Russia.
Abductions are among the 15 areas of organised crime, shows the report, indicating that this type of crime has shown a steady increase since 2008, with the only drop occurring during the first Covid-19 hard lockdown early in 2020.
CEO at the financial services provider Indwe Risk Services, Peter Olyott, has recognised the severe impact of kidnappings in the country.
“One only has to look as far as the cases of Lesego Tau or Yasin Bhiku to see how damaging these crimes are to our society,” said Olyott.
“Kidnapping syndicates are extremely sophisticated and it’s up to all of us to stay informed so we can best protect ourselves and our families.”
The report further states that crime statistics for the first quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year show a 59.1% increase in the number of kidnappings in South Africa. It says 42.1% of the kidnappings are related to hijackings, followed by robbery-related kidnappings at 15.6%.
“This criminal trend poses an existential threat to all of us because the criminals are organised and experienced in getting the results they desire.”
Olyott added that the kidnappings leave a profound impact on victims and their families, saying the most severe is emotional trauma. However, physical trauma is also common.
Inexperienced kidnappers are more likely to inflict violence as they do not have the know-how to adequately deal with, and stay calm, in high-pressure situations.
“Crime is an unfortunate but real part of our day-to-day lives in South Africa. It’s up to each and every one of us to take the necessary steps to keep ourselves and our communities safe,” added Olyott.
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