Penetrating State and Business. Organised Crime in Southern Africa, Volume Two

This report, the second volume of a monograph edited by Peter Gastrow for the Institute for Security Studies, examines the penetration of organised crime into state and business structures across Southern Africa. It specifically provides detailed country studies on Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa, illustrating how criminal networks exploit weak governance and economic instability to create a regional market for illicit goods.

• Organised criminal networks have established a common market for illicit goods across the Southern African sub-region, ignoring borders to facilitate a virtual free flow of goods. South Africa represents the most lucrative part of this regional operation.
• In Zimbabwe, the expansion of organised crime was driven by a rapid economic decline. Criminal activities include armed robberies, motor vehicle theft, extortion, and the smuggling of gold and diamonds. The government's intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the land and corporate institution invasions starting in early 2000 also created opportunities for organised crime.
• Organised crime in Zimbabwe has penetrated both government and formal business sectors. This is evidenced by joint venture partnerships where state functionaries collaborate with criminals and black market experts to engage in bid rigging and avoid competitive tender processes.
• Botswana serves as a transit country for drug trafficking and illicit goods like diamonds, often destined for the South African market. While Botswana has seen an increase in organised crime, including illegal immigration and vehicle theft, its effective law enforcement and small population limit the growth of a domestic criminal market.
• In South Africa, organised crime has grown over the last decade, with an increasing influence from international networks, leading the CIA and FBI to describe the country as "an important centre for international criminal activity". State penetration is most evident at lower levels, specifically within the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service.

APA

Gastrow, P., Goredema, C., Nkala, G., Irish, J., & Qhobosheane, K. (n.d.). Penetrating State and Business. Organised Crime in Southern Africa, Volume Two. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-89-penetrating-state-and-business.-organised-crime-in-southern-africa-volume-two-edited-by-peter-gastrow

Chicago

Gastrow, Peter, Charles Goredema, Gideon Nkala, Jenni Irish, and Kevin Qhobosheane. Penetrating State and Business. Organised Crime in Southern Africa, Volume Two. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-89-penetrating-state-and-business.-organised-crime-in-southern-africa-volume-two-edited-by-peter-gastrow.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gastrow |first1=Peter |last2=Goredema |first2=Charles |last3=Nkala |first3=Gideon |last4=Irish |first4=Jenni |last5=Qhobosheane |first5=Kevin |title=Penetrating State and Business. Organised Crime in Southern Africa, Volume Two |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-89-penetrating-state-and-business.-organised-crime-in-southern-africa-volume-two-edited-by-peter-gastrow |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gastrowndpenetrating, author = {Gastrow, Peter and Goredema, Charles and Nkala, Gideon and Irish, Jenni and Qhobosheane, Kevin}, title = {{Penetrating State and Business. Organised Crime in Southern Africa, Volume Two}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-89-penetrating-state-and-business.-organised-crime-in-southern-africa-volume-two-edited-by-peter-gastrow}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }