SA a source, transit point and destination country for human trafficking, crime index reveals

Human trafficking in South Africa remains a serious problem, with the country still acting as a source, transit point and destination for human trafficking.

Gauteng is emerging as a primary hub for smuggled individuals.

This is according to the findings of the Africa Organised Crime Index 2025, launched by the EU-funded ENACT initiative, which shows that different forms of trafficking persist, including sex trafficking, child labour, domestic servitude and debt bondage, though the scale of market is moderate.

The report also warns that vulnerable groups such as young girls, LGBTQI+ people and migrants are at particular risk and often lured with false offers of employment or personal opportunities.

It further notes that law enforcement and immigration officials have been implicated in facilitating trafficking operations, either through direct involvement or by turning a blind eye.

“Human smuggling is prevalent, criminal networks facilitating the movement of migrants from the horn of Africa and east Africa through major transit points such as Dar es Salaam and Maputo.

“South Africa is a key destination, and Gauteng is emerging as a primary hub for smuggled individuals. The primary drivers behind irregular migration and involvement in this illicit market are the pursuit of better economic opportunities and family-related motivations, underscoring the desperate circumstances that fuel this trade. Despite efforts to address this issue, including police training initiatives, the market remains active,” the report reads.

According to the report, extortion and protection racketeering have become one of the fastest-growing forms of organised crime in South Africa, expanding beyond metropolitan areas into smaller towns and rural regions.

This criminal market affects a wide range of sectors, including construction, mining, transport, retail, and even public services such as water and waste management.

“It has also become more entrenched and violent, often involving heavily armed groups and ties to other crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnappings, cybercrime and assassinations.”

Organised criminal groups, mainly domestic but sometimes supported by foreign actors, are at the centre of this market.

These groups operate in mafia-like structures and have diversified income sources, forming sub-gangs and building connections with public officials and private sector individuals.

The report also shows that heroin trade is a key component of drug markets in South Africa, which is a transit point and a destination hub.

The heroin enters through Mozambique and Tanzania, originating from Afghanistan, and is distributed through violent street-level networks.

Durban and Cape Town are significant heroin trafficking and consumption hubs, and associated gang violence has worsened in recent years.

Further, Cocaine trafficking is prevalent, with South Africa acting as a key transit point for shipments moving from South America to international markets in Europe, Asia and Australia.

“The synthetic drug market has grown, particularly with methamphetamine (locally referred to as ‘tik’) dominating the landscape. Local production is significant, primarily concentrated in clandestine laboratories, especially in the Western Cape, using smuggled precursors such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. However, locally produced drugs are supplemented by high-purity meth from international sources, with reports of trafficking into the country from Southeast Asia through West Africa. The involvement of transnational actors, including those from West Africa and Australia, underscores the globalised nature of a market in which South Africa is a central player,” said the report.

The report also reveals that South Africa has become a hotspot for cyber-dependent crime with malware, ransomware attacks and data breaches increasing, either originating from or targeting the country.

Local and international actors exploit weak cybersecurity frameworks, targeting financial institutions, private businesses and government infrastructure, leading to service disruptions.

It indicates a surge in such attacks, with threat actors increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence tools to enhance the sophistication and precision of their operations.

The report shows that the number of incidents rose sharply in 2024 compared with 2023, with organisations and government entities experiencing several attacks each week.

South Africa remains one of the most targeted countries in Africa, with ransomware alone accounting for more than 40% of reported incidents across the continent.

It also reveals that financial crimes are prevalent in South Africa, where fraud is deeply embedded in the economy. Cryptocurrency scams and Ponzi schemes target vulnerable populations, while international crime syndicates use the country as a base for large-scale financial fraud operations.

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