A survey has found that about two-thirds of South African youths claim to know a professional criminal.
Consumer insights company Pondering Panda recently conducted the poll among young South Africans aged between the ages of 18 and 34.
Respondents in the North West were most likely to know professional criminals, with 76% of people interviewed in the province saying they did.
It was followed by the Free State at 71%, and the Eastern Cape at 70%.
Pondering Panda spokesperson Shirley Wakefield says the poll shows that criminals operate openly in many communities.
On the positive side, 87% of the youth polled, thought committing a crime was always wrong.
