Province being held to ransom by gangsterism
Critical rethink on strategies to tackle scourge needed to protect vulnerable
GIVEN the historical and political nature of gang violence and gangsterism in general in the Western Cape, debates should not only be on service delivery but rather on its negative impact on the socio-economic development on disadvantaged communities, particularly coloured and black areas.
A high rate of gang violence can have many adverse repercussions, such as a negative impact on the investment climate which can deter or delay development and growth in disadvantaged communities. It can lead to higher costs of doing business, such as the need to employ different forms of security. This in turn diverts investment away from business expansion and productivity improvement and may lead to a less than optimal operating strategy.
Other negative impacts include business losses arising from looting, arson, theft, extortion and fraud. The loss of output due to reduced hours of operation, loss of workdays arising from outbreaks of violence as well as an avoidance of some types of economic activities have devastating effects on the investment climate. The loss of output is also visible on a temporary (injury) or permanent (murder) level in the labour force.
Gang violence further erodes the development of human capital as well as social capital, which in turn constrains the potential for growth. Gangsterism reduces the quality of life of those affected. Violent crimes in general, force otherwise productive individuals to occasionally exit the labour force because of violent injury to themselves or close associates, or because of social unrest in the community. Violence also causes schools to close periodically. Moreover, home and community instability is not conducive to learning and educational objectives.
It diverts public resources excessively away from productive uses that have a potentially much higher impact on social development and growth to areas such as police, justice, the medical system (for treatment of violence-related injuries and trauma).
Gang violence and gangsterism is a product of colonialism and apartheid and it continues to deepen its roots because of a broad ineffective and a “colonial-centric administrative” approach to service delivery. The outcome is distortions such as continuous discrimination to services rendered, chronic unemployment and high levels of inequality as seen in the Western Cape.
What needs to be discussed is not only the impact of gang violence on service delivery, but also the impact and the effectiveness of both provincial and local government departments in rendering a quality of service to vulnerable communities. What is required is an urgent response to where there is a dire need as well as how service delivery ensures that communities are places of safety, better health services and better education facilities.
Discussing the impact of gang violence should translate into action and the deliverance of proper services to coloured and black communities. The EFF is committed to implementing provincial government programmes to reduce gangsterism and increase safety. The issue is a matter of urgency and should be discussed across different sectors that are inclusive of government, NGOs, and youth-led institutions such as the Chrysalis Academy, as well as previous safety initiatives created and funded by the Department of Community Safety. Initiatives such as these need to be interrogated to understand their impact and how they benefited the people affected.
Discussions need to focus on whether or not safety initiatives should be reviewed and/or enhanced to better serve the communities.
Initiatives such as the Nyanga Yethu (a youth crime prevention initiative by locals) were once seen as potential vehicles to address the scourge. However, the initiative was ended.
The current gang-infested landscape grips communities as well as holds people hostage in a way that affects not only their safety but health and general well-being.
Surely it is time to review current safety initiatives and question the discontinuation and absence of safety initiatives?
Gang violence is not a new issue. Instead of recycling old discussions, provincial and local governments must translate lip service into action.
Current initiatives such as the EPP programme, community policing forums, Bambanani School Safety project need to be examined with a view to revise or recreate them in a way that makes the needs of the vulnerable a priority with clear and well-planned programmes that will begin to tackle an issue that is often not prioritised.
These are the real issues politicians should be addressing to find better ways to structure programmes, not only to make communities safe but to address issues of inequality and unemployment – elements black and coloured communities struggle with on an hourly basis.
There is a need to create and implement initiatives that are cognisant of this. Sustainability must be at the forefront of projects and programmes as well as offering youth educational and skills-development alternatives.
Current youth training academies were instituted as a response to youth development as well as to address the scourge of gang violence in communities, yet escalating levels of gang violence tell a different story.
While the government (Department of Community Safety, provincial Treasury) funds are ploughed into many youth-focused skills programmes and academies aimed at strengthening safety in some communities, youth and communities remain targets and vulnerable to violence.
An approach that is nuanced and cognisant of the complex social and economic elements many black and coloured communities are faced with is urgently required. Initiatives and programmes can no longer offer superficial change, it needs to offer communities real change that reduces inequality, improves education as well as ensures effective and fair law enforcement.
These are the value-add discussions all levels of governments should prioritise.
GANG VIOLENCE IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. INSTEAD OF RECYCLING OLD DISCUSSIONS, IT’S TIME THE GOVERNMENT TRANSLATED THE LIP SERVICE INTO ACTION