Investigative journalist Kyle Cowan offers an unflinching look into South Africa’s criminal underworld in his new book, Mafia Land. Drawing on years of reporting for News24, Cowan traces the complex web connecting organised crime, corruption, and political influence, revealing how these networks quietly shape daily life across the country.
Speaking to VOC News, Cowan said the book was born out of a need to bring coherence to years of scattered investigative work.
“The reason for the book is quite simple,” he explained. “In my work as an investigative journalist for News24, I come across this stuff on an almost daily basis. One of the things we struggle with the most is putting it together in such a way that distills it into an easy-to-understand, consumable way.”
Cowan noted that online reporting often fragments major investigations across multiple articles. “You’re publishing all these disparate pieces that don’t always appear to link to one another,” he said. “You have to remind readers constantly to go back to previous stories, and it just makes it all so complicated, especially when we all lead such busy lives.”
By bringing years of reporting into a single, accessible narrative, Cowan hopes Mafia Land will help readers “grasp the gravity of the situation” and better understand how deeply entrenched criminal networks have become.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: Sourced
