While being in the top 10 is usually a badge of honour, inclusion in the Africa Organised Crime Index 2025 is far from it – and South Africa sits at number two, just 0.04 points behind the continent’s worst-hit country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with a crime rating of 7.47.
For context, all countries in the Index are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 for criminality, based on the scope, scale, and impact of 15 criminal markets and the influence of five types of criminal actors. A higher score indicates a greater level of organised crime, with 10 representing the highest risk. By this measure, South Africa’s 7.43 rating places it among the continent’s most vulnerable countries, reflecting deep-rooted criminal networks and systemic challenges.
Following South Africa and the DRC are Nigeria (7.32), Kenya (7.18), Libya (7.05), Central African Republic (7.03), Uganda (6.65), Mozambique (6.63), Sudan (6.63), and Somalia (6.55).
Released earlier this month by the ENACT project, the fourth edition of the Index combines eight years of data and the insights of more than 160 experts to measure criminality and resilience, tracking how organised crime has evolved and how technology, geopolitics, and social dynamics are shaping illicit economies.
The Index defines organised crime as illegal activities conducted by groups or networks acting in concert through violence, corruption, or related means to gain financial or material benefit, domestically or across borders.
In 2025, the most pervasive criminal markets in Africa were financial crimes, human trafficking, non-renewable resource crimes, the trade in counterfeit goods, and arms trafficking. Since 2023, financial crimes and counterfeit goods have grown fastest, while human smuggling has grown more slowly but remains one of the fastest-growing markets since 2019.
The Index adds that non-renewable resource crimes remain high because of Africa’s abundant natural resources, while arms trafficking, flora crimes, and cyber-dependent crime saw marginal decreases.
In Southern Africa, financial crimes (6.0), fauna crimes (5.77), non-renewable resource crimes (5.31), heroin (5.15), and cannabis (4.96) rank among the region’s top criminal markets.
The state and organised crime: South Africa’s persistent struggle
According to Index, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya have ranked among the top 10 African countries for criminality since 2019. The Index notes that in South Africa, the foundations of today’s organised crime landscape were laid decades ago. Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation after the Second World War created conditions for urban crime to surge in cities such as Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, and Durban.
The Index highlights that loosely structured street gangs were the first to emerge, evolving from opportunistic criminals drawn to the gold rush of 1885. These gangs engaged in armed robbery, protection rackets, hijackings, and cannabis and contraband smuggling. By the 1980s, more hardened, organised criminal groups had formed, driven by social, economic, and political pressures within South Africa and across the region. Migrants linked local gangs with criminal networks in neighbouring countries, expanding their reach.
The Index also notes that the apartheid government allowed gangs to operate unchecked to counter liberation movements. Some gangs were reportedly used to infiltrate and monitor mandrax and car-smuggling syndicates, which funded parts of the liberation struggle.
Today, the Index categorises mafia-style groups as the most influential in South Africa’s organised crime landscape, warning they exert severe influence and negatively impact both social and state structures.
On home ground: how Southern Africa’s criminal networks thrive
According to Index, Southern Africa is a hotspot for fauna and flora crimes, drug trafficking, and violent criminal networks, with South Africa consistently at the centre of these illicit activities.
Rhino horn trafficking remains the region’s most prominent wildlife crime, particularly in South Africa and Namibia, although poaching numbers fell from 499 rhinos killed in 2023 to 420 in 2024.
Abalone harvesting for Asian markets continues to thrive, fuelled by highly organised criminal networks that evade longstanding countermeasures.
The illegal flora trade is equally concerning. South Africa and Namibia are major sources of rare succulents and cycads destined for Europe, the United States, and Asia.
The Karoo Biome, a global biodiversity hotspot, has been heavily targeted, with centuries-old desert plants uprooted for lucrative horticultural markets. Other high-demand species include rosewood from Madagascar and medicinal plants such as African cherry bark and the hoodia cactus, traditionally used by San communities but now heavily overharvested for international demand.
On the drug front, heroin – particularly of Afghan origin – continues to dominate Southern Africa’s illicit drug landscape, alongside rising cocaine activity. In 2025, Southern Africa (score 5.15) and East Africa (4.17) had the continent’s highest heroin trade scores.
Trafficking networks ship heroin to Asia, Africa, Europe, and, to a lesser extent, North America via complex maritime and overland routes.
In Cape Town, heavily armed criminal gangs involved in drugs and extortion exert strong control over neighbourhoods, and their turf wars have created persistent violence akin to low-intensity armed conflict.
Interestingly, the Index notes that organised crime in Southern Africa is increasingly digital. Trafficking of wildlife, arms, and narcotics now relies on online platforms, often in co-ordination with transnational networks.
South Africa has emerged as a major hub for digital advertisements selling wildlife products – both live animals and processed parts – particularly for traditional medicine markets. Criminals frequently use coded language and emojis to evade detection, making law enforcement efforts even more challenging.
Cybercrime on the rise: Africa as a testing ground
The Index highlights a dramatic surge in financial and cyber-enabled crimes across the continent, with Central Africa recording the fastest growth globally. Between 2023 and 2025, countries such as Nigeria and Angola saw their financial crime scores jump by a full point, while Ghana, Zambia, and Kenya rose by half a point. The Index attributes much of this growth to ransomware and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
According to the Index, ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting businesses, governments, and individuals, disrupting critical services and causing major financial losses.
In 2024, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa experienced the highest number of attacks in Africa, with more than 30 000 incidents detected across these three countries. The Index notes that many attacks were carried out by “ransomware-as-a-service” groups, such as LockBit and Hunters International, which lease malware from developers.
The Index adds that Africa is increasingly being used as a testing ground, with cybercriminals refining their methods on vulnerable enterprises in sectors including finance, energy, and manufacturing before moving to more fortified regions.
DDoS attacks are also rising, particularly in countries with high internet penetration.
South Africa recorded 230 000 attacks in the first half of 2024, far more than Namibia (75 000) or Morocco (60 000), targeting telecommunications, IT services, insurance, and computer manufacturing.
The Index warns that these attacks are driven both by financial motives and political ideology, with state-sponsored or hacktivist groups exploiting digital infrastructure to create disruption.
It further highlights how digital platforms, social media, e-commerce, and online banking have created new opportunities for scammers. Nearly 40% of people surveyed across Africa in 2023 reported being affected by online fraud. The economic impact is severe: in 2024, Kenya and South Africa lost 3.6% and 3.4% of their GDP, respectively, to online scams.
According to the Index, the rapid expansion of cyber-dependent crime illustrates a troubling trend: Africa is becoming both a hotspot and a proving ground for organised cybercrime, blending financial motives with political agendas and exploiting the continent’s growing digital footprint.
