Founded 1971 Territory Cape Town | Founding location Cape Town Ethnicity Cape Coloureds | |
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Membership Thousands (exact number unknown) Criminal activities Drug trafficking, Weapon trafficking, Prostitution, Contract killing, extortion, illegal diamond smuggling, Robbery, Fraud, Money laundering, Human trafficking, Kidnapping | ||
The Hard Livings gang is a large street gang and organized crime group based in Manenberg, Cape Town. A number of other smaller gangs form part of the Hard Livings gang and owe allegiance to it. The Hard Livings is one of two 'super gangs' in Cape Town with the other one being The Americans.
The gang was formed in 1971 by Rashied Staggie and his twin brother Rashaad.The gang started out as a criminal street gang mostly involved in drug distribution for which they competed with the Americans gang. After their distribution network grew, the Hard Livings gang as well as their rivals evolved into a structured criminal organisation involved in a wide range of criminal activities. In 1996 Rashaad was publicly set alight and killed by the vigilante group PAGAD.
In the 1990s and early 2000s the gang was known to have had a strong presence in the wealthy Green Point and Sea Point areas of Cape Town.
The gang is known to have been involved in both international and local organised crime. Their local activities range from drug running & trading, poaching, protection rackets, prostitution and shebeening (provision of unlicensed drinking places). Internationally they have been known to have cooperated with the Sicilian mafia in the trafficking of illegal diamonds as well as trafficking Cannabis to Europe.