ROAPE Journal
Economic Trickery, Fraud and Crime in Africa

Economic Trickery, Fraud and Crime in Africa

This debate is dedicated to the reporting and debating economic fraud, trickery and crime, and measures undertaken by state and non-state actors to address, counter and contain fraud and crime in the economy. The purpose is to have a platform for the regular exchange of up-to-date information, opinions and analysis about these important phenomena, covering all African countries.

The economic fraud, trickery and crime debate is coordinated by Jörg Wiegratz. We are looking forward to receiving your contributions to this important project and we welcome submissions for instance from NGOs, government officials, academics, transporters, detectives, private security professionals, journalists or students.

Financialisation and Illegal Capital Flight

For years illegal capital flight from South Africa has resulted in a staggering loss of wealth for the country. For roape.net Ben Fine investigates efforts to curb these flows of wealth. He argues that capital flight not only shifts resources elsewhere as is commonly presumed, it also shifts speculation elsewhere – capital flight is financialised.

Getting Away with Mass Killings in Africa

Thomas MacManus discusses the issues of corporate crimes and killings in Africa. Focusing on the 2006 case of Trafigura – a multinational oil trading company - who offloaded hazardous waste in Côte d'Ivoire which was then dumped causing death, and suffering to thousands. MacManus argues that this case is illustrative of many instances of contemporary corporate crime, with African victims painfully let down by international legal systems.

Economic Fraud in Neoliberal Africa

ROAPE’s Jörg Wiegratz introduces a special issue on economic fraud in capitalist Africa. He encourages us to delve deeply into a critical analysis of fraud, its causes, characteristics, and repercussions, in the context of the long history of the relationship between capitalism and economic crime on the continent. This week we will publish two further blogs in our series on economic trickery, fraud and crime in Africa.

Hidden in Plain Sight – Private Cartels in Africa

Across the world the extent of corporate collusion raises a range of fundamental questions relating to the manipulation of markets and capture of the policy agenda by private companies. Little is known about the extent of such collusion in so-called developing countries, in Africa in particular. Based on recent research for ROAPE, Thando Vilakazi argues that the form and extent of collusion across much of the continent points to limitations of conventional ‘governance fixes’, namely competition law, to address private cartels in Africa.

Lifting the Veil on Capital Flight and Tax Havens in Africa

Nataliya Mykhalchenko reviews a book that describes the devastating impact of tax havens and capital flight for Africa. The book details the intricate relationship between capital flight, global corporations, bank secrecy and the elites, i.e. the power-accumulation nexus. As a proportion of total wealth, Africa is the most afflicted continent in the world. For example, elites on the continent hold approximately USD 500 billion in financial wealth offshore, roughly 30% of total financial wealth held by Africans.