Tackle gang violence crisis

ANC branches in the Lillian Diedricks cluster join the masses of our people in condemning the recent spate of gang violence which has resulted in the killing of more than 75 people in last six months.

The ANC’s understanding is that gangsterism emerged as a result of apartheid spatial planning and the deliberate creation of an illicit drug market to sponsor certain apartheid defence force operations.

The ANC-led government has put in place both national and provincial anti-gang strategies which might require greater oversight by parliament, the provincial legislature, and the peace and stability sub-committees of the ANC at all levels.

The ANC-led government has also commenced with the implementation of the drug master plan through the mandate of the department of social development at provincial and national levels.

The thrust of the anti-gang framework echoes that of the national crime prevention and the provincial safety strategies of a multi-pronged approach to address the phenomenon.

However, the ANC in the cluster calls for the immediate improvement and acceleration of the implementation of the anti-gang framework to achieve better results to reduce gang violence and fatalities in the area.

The institutionalisation of key measures to strengthen the criminal justice system to ensure timeous prosecution must be considered as part of the immediate way forward.

As the ruling party, the ANC is just as concerned that the deaths of innocent people and the high frequency of traumatic encounters to which the northern areas community is exposed have left permanent scars on our people.

We therefore insist that the cry of our people receives the urgent attention of the president and the premier of the Eastern Cape.

The ANC specifically calls on all those tasked with the implementation of the ANC policy in government to:

1. Conduct proper oversight over the implementation of the drug master plan and the school safety programme;

2. Provide greater financial support to non-governmental organisations with focused intervention programmes of reducing gang violence, or bringing about social transformation and stability;

3. Strengthening of the community policing forum and the finalisation of discussions to implement forum stipends;

4. Establishment of the community safety forum at a municipal level to improve coordination of stakeholders within municipal boundaries;

5. The strengthening and proper resourcing of the gang unit;

6. The introduction of an aggressive sports-againstcrime programme in collaboration with schools and sports bodies;

7. Accelerated introduction of special school programmes and vocational study opportunities to reduce school dropouts in the northern areas;

8. Advancement of rapid skills development and placement programmes to improve the access rate into strategic levers of the automotive sector and other industries;

9. Stimulation of the economy to create jobs, reduce unemployment, and fight poverty and inequality;

10. Exploration of the creative economy to create job opportunities;

11. The appreciation and restoration of indigenous and cultural rights;

12. The mobilisation of the religious sector and civil society;

13. Further consultation on how best the ANC-led government could implement its existent strategies with greater impact.

Samuel Davids, Lillian Diedricks

cluster convener