Beneath the brutal order of South African prisons lies the secret code of the Numbers gang — a sprawling brotherhood with its own legends, rules, and rituals. In this episode, Ray and Eliza trace the gang’s shadowy origin story, decode its mythos, and ask why these secret societies endure far beyond prison walls. From tattoos inked with melted plastic to contraband slipping past guards, we unpack how drugs — especially the infamous Mandrax — grease the gears of this underworld. 

Sources:

• Jonny Steinberg: The Number

• Heinrich Veloen: The Numbers Gang in South African Correctional Facilities

• VICE: Portraits of South Africa’s Bloodiest Prison Gang: The Number

• UN Institute for Disarmament Research: Project Coast: apartheid’s chemical and biological warfare programme

• Britannica: Methaqualone