On 14 March at 22:00, Ross Kemp on Gangs will explore the underworld of the Numbers gang in South Africa on Discovery Channel (DStv Channel 121), in a
special episode filmed at Pollsmoor prison.

Ross Kemp, actor turned investigative reporter and all round tough guy, is back on our screens for a season dedicated to his fearless travels. From his harrowing insider
experience on the frontline of the war in Afghanistan and his tireless search for pirates, to his no holds barred journey into the midst of some of the world’s toughest gangs, we are offered an insight into worlds which we would never otherwise dare enter.

Leading up to this TV episode, Prof. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Professor in criminology from the University of Pretoria, shares his expertise on the subject of gangs and their activities in South Africa.

Many South Africans are confronted by crime on a 24-hour basis. Relative to the rest of the world, violent crime is extraordinarily high in South Africa (SA). A high percentage of people are murdered; raped; tortured; and robbed daily. Although many violent crimes are committed during interpersonal interaction, by individuals or groups, a significant number of violent crimes are being committed by gang or syndicate members.

Gangsters and thugs are a common sight in many slum areas of South Africa (SA). Gang activities are especially rife in the Western Cape. It is an age-old problem that has affected many families and communities in SA but more so in the Cape Flats. Different types of gangs exist in South Africa, such as the Street/Defence Gangs; the Mafia-style Family Structure gangs; and Syndicate Gangs. However, the so-called 'number' and 'name' gangs are the most notorious in South Africa.

A distinction can be made between 'name'-gangs, such as the Americans; the Dixie Boys; the Thug Life gang and the Hard Livings Kids, as well as the 'number gangs', such as the 26s and 28s. The number gangs are aligned with South Africa's prison gangs.

There are different gangs with specific numbers, each of which was founded to serve a specialised duty within the prison system: The 26s are responsible for gambling; smuggling (e.g. dagga); and accruing wealth (money) in general. They regularly 'take blood' from other gang members, and their main objective is assault. The 28s are the most powerful gang in prison. They are renowned for their sexual shenanigans in prison. The 27s act as the guardians of gang law and function as the peacekeepers between the gangsters. They therefore moderate disputes between the other two gangs (26s and 28s) and can also act as assassins. Usually when a gangster broke a rule, the blood of a
warder or frans (non gang member) must be spilled to settle this indiscretion.

Other number gangs are the Airforce 23 and 24 gangs who specialises in the planning of and or the execution of escapes from prison. The Big 5 gang is known for their relations with wardens as informants to maximise their privileges. The command structure of the prison gangs is strictly hierarchical, like the military, whereas leadership of the street gangs is also hierarchical but more informal. It is often said that prison warders do not control the prison but that certain prisons are controlled by the number gangs.

Name gang leaders tend to earn respect and status primarily through the strength of their personality, although this varies from gang to gang. They also tend to do 'good' things in the community (e.g. develop an entertainment arcade). Because of their 'good' deeds many community members tend to accommodate their 'not so good’ behaviour and refrain from providing any incriminating information to the police. These gangs usually generate income by means of drug running; vehicle hijacking; and chop shops. Because of gang rivalries armed violence is a regular occurrence while drive by shootings occurs from time to time. Conflict usually breaks out because of personal reasons (e.g. love triangles which involves another gang member’s girlfriend or when a member of a opposing gang enter another gang’s area or turf).

In some cases different syndicates and international gangs, such as the Chinese Triads, use local gangs for their 'dirty' work. International gangs will request local gangs to smuggle drugs or to illegally harvest abalone for a certain amount of money. By doing this the international gangs/syndicates will not be linked to the crime when the police apprehend members of the local gangs for the crime.

To access full information on Ross Kemp season, click the link below, which will
take you to the e-kit, with comprehensive episode descriptions and photographs.
www.thisistree.com/discovery