SA among Top 10 countries affected by organised crime: GI-TOC

South Africa is among the Top 10 countries most affected by organised crime globally.

This is according to Dr Mark Shaw, Executive Director of the Geneva-based Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), who is testifying before the Madlanga Commission.

His evidence draws on international experience of how other countries have dealt with organised crime infiltrating state institutions and criminal justice systems.

Shaw says South Africa faces a wide range of criminal markets, including drug trafficking, financial crime, extortion, illicit trade and cybercrime.

“What this effectively means is that South Africa is in the Top 5% of all countries in the world in respect of criminal markets and actors, as measured by the index,” says Shaw.

Earlier, an image of the alleged key figures of the so-called “Big Five” cartel was shown at the Madlanga Commission.

Those identified in the photograph were alleged underworld kingpin pin Katiso “KT” Molefe, Steve Motsumi, Ignatius Mothakathi, Andrew “Boy” Mthethwa, also known as King Nyambose, and Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi.

Madlanga Commission of Inquiry Day 172 | Wednesday, 02 September 2026