Caryn Dolley

An airline worker in Australia has been arrested after a flight from South Africa when cops found drugs concealed in shampoo.

Extortion is a massive problem in South Africa. It affects many industries, areas and individuals – and crimes in this arena can prove fatal, people have before been murdered. This podcast shows how a stretch of around 750m in Cape Town's city centre has been the focus of extortion and related accusations for years, and points to how deeply entrenched and intricate South Africa's “protection fee” problem really is.

Extortion is a massive problem in South Africa. It affects many industries, areas and individuals – and crimes in this arena can prove fatal, people have before been murdered. This podcast shows how a stretch of around 750m in Cape Town’s city centre has been the focus of extortion and related accusations for years, and points to how deeply entrenched and intricate South Africa’s “protection fee” problem really is.

Of the more than 200 gang-related murders recorded in South Africa over three months, most were in Western Cape. But the province’s community safety MEC Anroux Marais has said that gang violence only seems out of control, before telling Daily Maverick it concerns her daily.

Another cousin of suspected 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield has been murdered. This is while Stanfield himself stands accused in connection with a killing and while he and his wife Nicole Johnson are in custody for other charges.

Another cousin of suspected 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield has been murdered. This is while Stanfield himself stands accused in connection with a killing and while he and his wife Nicole Johnson are in custody for other charges.

In 2024 Daily Maverick exposed various drug trafficking networks involving countries including Dubai, Mexico and Bosnia, that are connected to South Africa. These examples reiterate that the country is still deeply entrenched in global narco-networks, as it was decades ago.

Cops have been busy with arrests and raids while dealing with murders, extortion-linked shootings and State Capture. Next year, their work may very well increase as global drug trafficking ramps up.

Cops have been busy with arrests and raids while dealing with murders, extortion-linked shootings and State Capture.

The 1988 bombing of a plane over Scotland, which killed 270 people including a South African, and which sparked Nelson Mandela's concern, remains the deadliest terror attack in UK history. Now another suspect linked to Libya is set to go on trial for it in the US.