There are renewed calls for gang violence on the Cape Flats to be declared a provincial state of disaster.
The calls recently started growing louder as community leaders argue that the urgency shown by the Western Cape Government in response to recent fires contrasts with what they describe as prolonged inaction on daily, deadly gang violence.
Chairperson of the Bishop Lavis Crime Prevention Forum, Graham Lindhorst, said communities grappled with continuous mass murders while shootings had “become the norm”.
Lindhorst questioned the speed at which the provincial government called for a state of disaster over fires, while similar calls were not made for gang-related killings.
He said the forum was concerned that the Premier and the City of Cape Town Mayor had “not once condemned loud enough the senseless killings in our communities”.
“We call on the Premier and the Western Cape Government to show the same care for our poor communities as is shown towards the fire victims. We say to the Premier that our lives should matter much more than the properties of the more fortunate in the province. We sincerely ask the Premier and his Government to value life and property of the poor working class as never before with the many fires in Informal Settlements did the Premier ever called for a State of Disaster so swiftly,” said Lindhorst.
These sentiments echo a formal call made earlier this year by chairperson of the Cape Crime Crisis Coalition, Dr Llewellyn MacMaster, who described the situation as “a far more deadly, persistent, and entirely human-made catastrophe”.
MacMaster argued that gang violence meets the legal definition of a disaster, adding that “ordinary policing” was not enough to address the issue.
He further questioned why the Disaster Management Act was considered for fires but not for violence that claims hundreds of lives each month.
“The legal standard for a disaster is clear under the Disaster Management Act: it is an event that causes death, injury, or social disruption beyond a community’s ability to cope. Applying this objective standard reveals a stark inconsistency in the Provincial Government’s application of its own powers,” said MacMaster.
MacMaster called on Winde and the Western Cape Government to respond positively to demands for the disaster classification.
“The disparity in response reveals a prioritisation of certain crises over others, leading to the fundamental question of equity and duty in governance. The continued non-application of a Provincial State of Disaster to the gang violence crisis is therefore not a legal constraint, it is a political and moral choice.”
Meanwhile, Winde and Community Safety and Police Oversight MEC, Anroux Marais, are expected to meet with acting National Police Minister, Firoz Cachalia, to discuss ways to better police crime in the province.
This came to light during Winde’s oversight visit to the Kraaifontein police station on Monday, which forms part of a programme to establishing the challenges at high-crime precincts.
“In addition to decisive policing, we need to see strong economic growth that creates jobs. This is the most effective way to drive down crime,” said Winde.
Earlier this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the crisis, expressing sadness over at least 26 lives lost on the Cape Flats over the weekend. He said communities could expect “stronger law enforcement and increased police visibility”.
“President Ramaphosa recognises the fear to which criminals subject residents and therefore calls on communities to strengthen their partnership with law enforcement agencies in community policing forums… [He] assures residents that government is balancing short-term actions to prevent and respond to violence and stabilise communities, with long-term socio-economic interventions to improve social conditions and living standards.”
