New strategies to combat gang violence

The battle against gangsterism in the province has taken a significant step forward with the implementation of a robust inter-departmental Anti-Gangsterism Implementation Plan. 

Spearheaded by the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety, the initiative aims to address the recruitment of minors into gang culture.

Social Development Minister Nokuzola Tolashe revealed this following a parliamentary question by the EFF’s Noluvuyo Tafeni, who wanted to know the Department of Social Development’s (DSD) interventions to mitigate the recruitment of minors into gangsterism by gangsters, specifically in the Western Cape.

In her response, Tolashe explained that the Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety is the lead department in anti-gangsterism strategy and coordinates the annual provincial inter-departmental Anti-Gangsterism Implementation Plan. 

“Departments report on their anti-gang plans and activities in selected high-gang areas. The factors that focus on the strengthening of social protective factors against violence include substance abuse, youth development, and early childhood development. These interventions are consolidated into a Provincial Anti-Gang Implementation Plan to ensure integrated interventions in the identified areas,” Tolashe said. 

“The recruitment of minors into gangsterism is reported under the prevention level of these interventions.” 

Tolashe outlined interventions that various departments can implement.

The Department of Social Development has community and residential interventions. The community-based interventions are managed through the Area-Based Teams (ABT) with profiling gang-related patterns and targeted interventions such as school-based crime prevention and life skills programmes, parenting programmes, school holiday programmes, school-based substance prevention programmes, and youth cafes for job skills training.

Tolashe also explained that Child and Youth Care Centres have a strong focus on addressing the root causes of youth vulnerability and equip them with skills and support to resist gang involvement. 

This includes therapeutic counselling, mentorship programmes, behavioural management programmes, education, and skills development programmes. The centres also provide adult basic education and training (ABET) and vocational skills training for those youth who are unable to attend mainstream schools. Youth are also taught non-violent methods for resolving disputes, reducing the need for gang affiliation.

Tolashe said there are integrated awareness campaigns and operations between SAPS and the City law enforcement in high gang areas.

Tolashe outlined the Western Cape Education Department’s Safe Schools interventions. These include search and seizures of dangerous weapons, anti-bullying, anti-gangsterism and anti-substance abuse interventions, holiday and after-school programmes, leadership training, peer mediation, clean-up campaigns, back-to-school, sport, arts and culture, and parent meetings.

Tafeni further pressed Minister Tolashe for details on the effectiveness of these interventions and the metrics used to assess them.

Responding, Tolashe said: “DSD alone cannot effectively address the gang prevalence in the Western Cape. Therefore, a whole-of-government approach is followed in the Western Cape. Interventions created inter-departmental linkages that created an effective continuum of services, a better understanding of departmental roles and responsibilities, and highlighted service delivery gaps.

“Effectiveness of interventions is, however, hampered by budget cuts of all departments, continued increase in provincial crime stats, dangerous and volatile communities, low levels of community interest and participation, and the ongoing safety risk for our social workers and other auxiliary staff.” 

Tolashe added that while a child is in a Child and Youth Care Centre, progress is measured through the Individual Development Plan of the child and preparedness for reintegration. Usually the child responds very well to the structure and targeted interventions within the centre.

Cape Times