Organised crime is SA's next state capture crisis, says NPA

CAPE TOWN - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says organised crime is the country's next state capture crisis. 

Addressing the Cape Town Press Club on Thursday, the NPA leadership said as organised crime becomes more sophisticated, it will require better investigation and prosecution skills. 

NPA head, Shamila Batohi, said that the real challenge for police was going after the kingpins behind these syndicates and not only the foot soldiers. 

Batohi said that corruption was cutting across all state entities and asset forfeiture was at the centre of the strategy to return the proceeds of crime, even before a conviction is achieved. 

"Even when we get the prosecutions to court and people are fighting us and embarking on Stalingrad tactics, that they are doing it not from their houses in Constantia with their fancy cars and with stolen money paying for their lawyers."

But she said there was still a skills gap in the investigation of financial crimes.

"The police have been investigating the crime, but not following the money generally, and if you want to get to the kingpins of organised crime, you have to follow the money."

The NPA said that beefing up crime intelligence capability would go a long way to getting a grip on organised crime.