The Underworld Podcast

Episode: The Most Insane Prison Gang Ever: South Africa's Numbers Gang

Date: March 18, 2025

Hosts: Danny Gold and Sean Williams

Overview

In this rich, deeply researched episode, Danny Gold and Sean Williams unpack the secretive, brutal, and ritualized world of South Africa’s Numbers Gang—a sprawling and cryptic prison brotherhood comprised of the 26s, 27s, and 28s. The journalists trace the gang’s origins in colonial South Africa, explore their near-religious codes and lore, and explain how these groups wield complete and sometimes terrifying control inside prisons—and, increasingly, on the streets as organized crime flourishes in post-apartheid South Africa.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. A Legendary Murder and the Total Control of the Numbers

[00:00–06:15]

• The episode opens with a dramatic recounting of a notorious 1977 murder in a South African prison. The killing, orchestrated by a joint council of the Numbers Gangs, is described as both a message to informants and a showcase for the gang’s absolute control—even scripting prisoner testimony at the trial.

  • Danny: “They didn’t just decide who was to die, they decided who would kill him, who would testify, what they would say, down to the word.” [03:17]

• The murder highlighted the end of a violent years-long war between the 26s and 28s, with the 27s acting as mediators—underscoring the strict hierarchy and ritualistic governance of the factions.

2. South Africa’s Violent Context

[10:15–13:45]

• The hosts discuss South Africa's broader crime issues: persistent violence, legacy of apartheid, slums, endemic corruption, and the unique “colored” racial category—mostly making up the Numbers Gang membership.

  • Danny: “The numbers gangs are primarily made up of so-called coloreds. During the apartheid era… they suffered under the system but were treated a little bit better than Black Africans.” [12:40]

3. The Origins: Gold Rush Gangs, Mystic Lore, and Cult Hierarchies

[13:12–26:28]

• The Numbers are said to descend from early mining-era outlaws, especially the Ninvatis gang led by a Zulu, Nongoloza Matabula. Nongoloza’s crew was militarized and operated from the late 1800s, evolving into the prison-based Numbers.
  • Nongoloza named his brotherhood after Nineveh, styling it as a paramilitary rebel group with formal ranks and mythic self-understanding.
    • Notable Quote: “I reorganized my gang of robbers... I selected [the name] for my gangs, as rebels against the government’s law.” —Nongoloza [17:30]
• Early on, rules against interactions with women (to avoid STDs) led to the enforcement of sexual relationships among men—baking sexuality into the gang’s later divisions.
  • “They banned the gang soldiers from getting with women... and made it so youngsters being brought into the gang take on the older men.” [18:12]

4. Numbers Gang Mythology and Structure

[25:25–34:15]

• The origin myth: Nongoloza and his lieutenant Kilikijan are schooled by a mystical seer. The legend involves blood-drinking, written-in-hide gang constitutions, and a rift spurred by sexual practices—forming the 26s, 27s, and 28s, each with specific roles and taboos.
  • “The gangs essentially treat this like a religion’s founding, and this is their Old Testament, New Testament, Torah, Talmud, Quran all in one.” [24:50]
  • The 26s: Focus on scams, theft, and material gain (no violence or sex with men).
  • The 27s: Judges and enforcers, violent, the smallest and most feared; act as intermediaries.
  • The 28s: The warriors, upholding prisoner rights, associated with ritualized homosexual relations, and deeply hierarchical.

5. Rules, Rituals, and Internal Wars

[34:15–41:19]

• Daily prison life among the Numbers is intricately regulated—each day of the week has assigned functions, endless bureaucracy and “homework,” and rigid initiation rites.

• Tattoos, a secret language (Sabella), and arcane rituals bind the members.

  • “Successive generations of prisoners wove an elaborate history that contained most elements of religious mythology…” —Danny citing Misha Glenny [32:29]

• A notorious 1980s internal war within the 28s led to a reversal of roles. The “Silver Line” (traditionally the 'female' cohort) overthrew the “Gold Line” (warriors), ending mandatory violence for initiation; henceforth, new recruits joined the 28s through sex with senior members.

  • “We lived the life of animals in prison, so we became animals.” —28s member [41:10]

6. The Numbers' Street Gang Mutation

[41:19–50:01]

• The episode charts how the end of apartheid saw street gangs gain power (the Americans, the Firm, Sexy Boys, Hard Livings, etc.), with drug lords buying their way into high ranks within the Numbers, tweaking the old codes.
  • Jackie Lanti, leader of the Americans, introduces crack, “buys” his status in prison, and aligns street and prison operations—forever blending the prison gang’s shadow power with street-level organized crime.
    • “He gets fast-tracked to high rankings without having to do any of the dirty work or adhere to the ancient... rituals because he’s got the money.” [48:07]
  • This shift triggers resentment from the prison “old guard.”

7. Present-Day Landscape: Culture, Power, and Crime

[50:01–53:09]

• The hosts touch on recent developments—ongoing violence in Cape Flats, drug wars, nightclub mafias, and how the Numbers Gangs remain central, both in prison and as power brokers outside.
  • Sean: “You could see why people say apartheid never really ended.” [51:50]
• They cite essential further reading: Johnny Steinberg’s The Number, Mark Shaw’s Give Us the Guns, and journalist Caryn Dolley's investigations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Control: “They exercised total and complete control over everyone. They didn’t just decide who was to die, they decided who would kill him, who would testify...” —Danny [03:17]
• On the Codes: “It’s legitimately the strictest code of conduct I’ve ever seen... every facet of their lives is regulated.” —Danny [27:43]
• On Lore: “Successive generations of prisoners wove an elaborate history that contains most elements of religious mythology...” —Misha Glenny, as cited [32:29]
• On Transformation: “We declared war on them for raping our junior members. And when we won the war, we raped in turn... We lived the life of animals in prison, so we became animals.” —28s member [41:14]
• On Modern Gangs: “They use a lot of US symbols, you know, bald eagle, Statue of Liberty...” Danny on the Americans supergang [45:48]
• On Change: “He gets fast-tracked to high rankings... because he’s got the money. He basically pays for his top ranking.” —Danny [48:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–06:15 | The murder that shocked the nation and revealed total control | | 10:15–13:45 | South Africa’s violent environment & gang demographics | | 13:12–26:28 | Historical foundation: Gold rush, Nongoloza, and mythological roots | | 25:25–34:15 | The origin myth of the Numbers and their internal codes | | 34:15–41:19 | Rituals, rules, tattoos, languages, and internal wars | | 41:19–50:01 | The transformation: Street gangs, drugs, and new power dynamics | | 50:01–53:09 | The post-apartheid landscape, current research, and outro |

Additional Resources & References

• "The Number" by Johnny Steinberg – The definitive book on the Numbers Gang’s history and internal workings
• Mark Shaw, "Give Us the Guns" – Insight on South African organized crime
• Journalist Caryn Dolley – Current reporting on organized crime and gangland violence
• Recommended interview: Witboy Welcome (ex-gang member, now public speaker/actor) for firsthand narratives

Tone and Style

The hosts blend dark humor, conversational asides, and serious investigative analysis, maintaining a mix of incredulity, horror, and fascination at the structures, history, and violence of the Numbers Gang. Their language is blunt, sometimes graphic, but informative and laced with references to pop culture, academic literature, and their own reporting.

Conclusion

Danny and Sean’s investigation peels back both the hidden codes and the lurid infamy surrounding South Africa’s Numbers Gang, showing how a secretive prison cult came to structure—and distort—criminal life inside and well beyond the bars. With open questions and promises for future deep dives into the modern gang scene, the episode stands as a definitive primer on one of the world’s strangest and most powerful criminal brotherhoods.