Why South Africa has been labelled a criminal state

Professor Andre Duvenhage, a political analyst from the North West University, said that the perfect storm of rampant crime and a weak state has contributed to the country becoming a mafia state.

Duvenhage shared information about South Africa’s status during a discussion on the Nuuspod podcast with Izak du Plessis.

South Africa has been besieged by crime, which includes a growing prevalence of corruption, kidnappings, political killings, and extortion.

Organised criminal networks have entrenched themselves in multiple industries across South Africa, including construction, transport, township businesses, mining, and nightlife.

Part of the reason for South Africa’s rising crime rate is that the criminal justice system has been significantly weakened. There are also allegations of criminal elements in these institutions.

KwaZulu-Natal Province Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi claimed that criminal syndicates are corrupting law enforcement from within.

These criminal syndicates involve politicians, police officials, prosecutors, businesspeople, and even elements of the judiciary.

He further alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu ordered the disbandment of a critical investigative unit which had been probing politically motivated killings.

Around 121 case dockets were reportedly removed in early 2025, purportedly to shield politically connected individuals.

He also accused Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya of obstructing justice by stalling investigations and hoarding crucial case files.

Mkhwanazi said unqualified individuals have been placed in crucial roles within crime intelligence, compromising investigations.

He argued that these placements are part of a scheme to destabilise police leadership and suppress exposure of corruption.

These accusations have raised concerns that South Africa is becoming a mafia state, where the structures of government are captured and run in the interests of criminal networks.

It includes collusion between state officials and organised crime, as well as the use of government agencies to extort, protect, and enable illegal activities.

South Africa has become a criminal state

Duvenhage said his research shows that South Africa qualifies as a criminal state or mafia state, based on objective criteria.

He highlighted five measures which are used to determine whether a country has become a mafia state.

• There is a political environment that is conducive to crime. This includes common crime and organised crime.
• There is a weakening state with an increase in organised crime.
• Criminals are busy infiltrating and manipulating state institutions.
• It is difficult to distinguish between the political and criminal elite.
• The criminal justice system is dysfunctional.

Duvenage said that all of these characteristics fit South Africa, which shows that it has become a mafia state.

He highlighted that the Globalised Organised Crime Index ranks South Africa seventh in the world for common and organised crime.

South Africa is in the company of Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon, which shows how big a problem criminality is in the country.

Duvenhage said the South African state is not competent enough to fulfil its core function of creating security, stability, and order.

“The South African police departments and the whole criminal justice system in the country are dysfunctional,” he said.

“One figure which shows this dysfunction is that only one out of every 100 murders is successfully prosecuted.”

He added that crime in South Africa threatens the constitution, the democracy, and the state.

Globalised Organised Crime Index ranking

COUNTRY	CRIMINALITY SCORE
Myanmar	8.15
Colombia	7.75
Mexico	7.57
Paraguay	7.52
Congo	7.35
Nigeria	7.28
South Africa	7.18
Iraq	7.13
Afghanistan	7.1
Lebanon	7.1