The NdB Sunday Show: Willem Els - Why terror groups love South Africa

On today’s NdB Sunday Show, Chris Steyn talks to Willem Els, a consultant at the Transnational Threats and Organised Crime and the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) about why South Africa is considered to be so attractive to terror networks. Els describes how endemic corruption in “State facilities… not only within your law enforcement… but also up into a political sphere” allow terror groups to really thrive because that “facilitates not only for the terrorist groups, but also for your organised crime groups”. He also discusses the role played by the government’s foreign policy. “... it creates perceptions of political sympathy and tolerance…prompting those groups to actually come to South Africa and to operate here.” Els lists the key weaknesses being exploited by terror groups; outlines the strategies needed to fight them - and warns: “If we don't have a very good consequence management system, people are going to get away with murder and terrorists are going to think that they can also get away with murder.”

Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.

Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.

If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.

Watch here:

Listen here: