Criminal syndicates are using stolen IDs, fake deaths, and corrupt officials to rake in millions from life insurance

Loading player...
GUEST - Garth de Klerk, CEO of the Insurance Crime Bureau

Mortuaries, hospitals, old age homes, and the homeless are some of the targets that the syndicates of the dubbed “death industry” operate in. They do this by bribing their connections.

Criminal syndicates recruit runners to buy identity documents of dead people. The kingpin will then insure them (insuring the dead person’s ID) and “kill” them again in order to pocket millions.
3 Jun 2025 7AM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

SA Homeowner growth steady, report finds

Hayley Ivins-Downes from Lightstone Property shares data about home-buying activity in South Africa, which paints an interesting picture about affordability and which specific parts of the country are seeing the most development.
27 Mar 5AM 11 min

INSIDE YOUR POCKET – South Africa’s consumer credit market steady

Data from TransUnion shows that South African credit usage has shown tentative recovery to a more broad-based recovery, with first-time buyers now accounting for just over half of financed purchases. Ayeshaa Hatea, from TransUnion South Africa, explains these findings and more.
27 Mar 5AM 11 min

Pivot Point - Building Africa’s Vaccine Sovereignty

Today on Pivot Point, we spotlight a leader whose work sits at the intersection of science, industrialization, and national security. Dr. Morena Makhoana, the CEO of Biovac, has spent two decades shaping South Africa’s vaccine manufacturing landscape and unpacks that journey.
27 Mar 5AM 25 min

Africa’s Trade Links Strengthen; Future Geopolitical Risks Loom

Data from Standard Bank signalled significant growth in intra-African trade in the past year, showing positive moment towards the continent achieving a successful AfCFTA. However, that picture could be complicated by recent tensions in the Middle East. For more on this let’s listen in to, Philip Myburgh, Head: Trade for…
25 Mar 4PM 12 min