The Deeper Implications of Widespread Lawlessness in South Africa

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the rise of lawlessness in South Africa, arguing that it is driven by government failure in service delivery and endemic corruption. The author warns that increasing violence in protests, the rise of vigilantism, and the perceived exemption of certain sectors from the law could lead to a full-scale revolt unless citizens hold the government accountable.

• Lawlessness in South Africa is linked to the failure of government to deliver basic services and fulfill election promises. A July 2012 report by Auditor General Terence Nombembe indicated that 70% of municipalities could not prove they delivered promised services.
• There has been a significant increase in 'crowd management' and 'unrest' incidents. Between 2004/05 and 2011/12, crowd management incidents rose from 8,004 to 11,033 (an increase of almost 38%), while unrest incidents requiring direct intervention rose from 622 to 1,091 (an increase of more than 75%).
• Public corruption is described as 'endemic' and a 'cancer' by Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela, who suggests that corruption and maladministration are often the causes of service delivery failures, such as those involving RDP houses.
• The mini-bus taxi industry exhibits lawlessness by expecting exemption from legal standards. In KwaZulu-Natal in May (year not specified, but following a 2012 reference), the Durban Metro Police were told to 'exercise caution' after threats from the chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Transport Alliance, leading officers to avoid stopping and fining drivers.
• Vigilantism and mob justice are increasing in violence and frequency, viewed by some as a 'cry of desperation' to force government action. An example occurred in March 2012 in the Enkanini informal settlement in Khayelitsha, where three men accused of robbery were killed by stoning and fire.

APA

Burger, J. (n.d.). The Deeper Implications of Widespread Lawlessness in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-deeper-implications-of-widespread-lawlessness-in-south-africa

Chicago

Burger, Johan. The Deeper Implications of Widespread Lawlessness in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-deeper-implications-of-widespread-lawlessness-in-south-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Burger |first1=Johan |title=The Deeper Implications of Widespread Lawlessness in South Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-deeper-implications-of-widespread-lawlessness-in-south-africa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{burgernddeeper, author = {Burger, Johan}, title = {{The Deeper Implications of Widespread Lawlessness in South Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-deeper-implications-of-widespread-lawlessness-in-south-africa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }