Launch of Enhancing Regional Responses Against Organised Crime (EROC) Report

During 2005 representatives of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Secretariat of the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) discussed the lack of reliable information and research on organised crime and how it impacted law enforcement in southern Africa. The lack of credible research data ultimately led to the conception of the Enhancing Regional Responses Against Organised Crime (EROC) research project. The objective of the research is to provide in-depth information on contemporary organised criminal activities in the sub-region to policy and decision makers, analyse the trans-national dynamics of organised criminal groups and networks, determine whether and to what extent, links exist between organised crime and terrorism, consider and document the role that corruption plays in organised crime and to evaluate the capacity and effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in the sub-region to overcome organised crime.
 
This report comprises the research findings of the first year of data collection for the EROC project. It looks at selected organised criminal activities and observed levels of prevalence in twelve southern African countries. Research questions, methodologies, limitations and ethical considerations are discussed in detail. Due to the lack of statistical and quantitative data, the report relies mostly on a qualitative methodology. Representatives from law enforcement agencies, government departments and para-statals, civil society, business and professional associations, academics, prisoners, former gang members and members of the broader communities whose lives have been impacted by organised crime, were consulted in one-on-one interviews, focus groups, observations and workshops.

A team of field researchers led by a research coordinator collected the data presented and analysed in this report. The research was informed by a working definition of organised crime which was jointly developed by the heads of criminal investigation departments in southern Africa and the research team.

The report shows that the more serious forms of crime in terms of the monetary value involved or the potential harm they cause have a transnational dimension, in that they are committed by people of varying nationalities and they affect more than one country. It has been established that organised crime in most countries is underpinned by corruption, which is either a facilitating activity or an organised criminal activity in its own right.

The geo-political and economic environment in individual countries amplifies the significance of specific criminal activities, the commonest forms of which have been identified as stock theft, theft/hijacking of motor vehicles, cultivation of marijuana and a broad spectrum of economic crimes. Further, the research has shown that although economic crimes may not be as prevalent as other forms of crime, statistically their impact on the society and the economy are far reaching. Furthermore, the effectiveness of law enforcement against organised crime has been put under the spotlight.

Programme

• 11:00 - Welcome and introductions:
  Charles Goredema, Programme Head: Organised Crime & Money Laundering Programme, ISS Cape Town
• 11:20 - Response from BAC:
   Mrs. Lorinda Nel
• 11:40 - Response from ISS Head Office:
  Dr Paul-Simon Handy – Director of Research, Institute for Security Studies
• 12:00 - Editor’s remarks:
  Annette Hübschle – EROC Project Research Coordinator
• 12:20 - Q & A:
  Comments and Discussion
• 12:55 - Closing remarks:
  Charles Goredema
• 13:00 - Finger lunch