Anti-gang violence strategy planned

R3m for Lavender Hill stabilisation, police to double force on streets

COMMUNITIES experiencing gang violence on a daily basis say crime on the Cape Flats needs to be tackled and their neighbourhoods made safe. This comes after Premier Helen Zille, announced the provincial government had made R3 million available for a stabilisation unit for Lavender Hill, where schools were closed due to ongoing gang violence in the area.

Roegshanda Pascoe of the Mitchells Plain Crisis Forum said they want their communities to be safe.

“Seeing our young children die makes me sick. But it’s our own young children who are doing the shooting. Our gangsters are also becoming younger.

“And our children are paying the price with their lives. Our youth need work, because this is also the reason they become involved in gangs.

“It is totally unhealthy to live in a community like this, where our young kids are exposed to violence every day.

“I want our faith leaders to also speak out against violence,” she said.

Esethu Hasane, the spokesperson for police minister Fikile Mbalula, said the cabinet had approved an antigang strategy and the details would be announced soon.

Mbalula recently announced the police will be doubling their numbers to deal with crime on the ground. “We will be dealing with criminals. We must get our children off the street so they do not become gangsters,” Mabalula said.

There have also been numerous calls to open a gang unit. A police source who did not want to be named, said even though a new gang unit won’t be the answer, something needs to be done to address gangsterism.

OUR CHILDREN ARE PAYING THE PRICE WITH THEIR LIVES