- The Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) held a dialogue at the Lentegeur Subcouncil Chambers to address gang violence, bringing together residents, officials and organisations.
- Discussions focused on reclaiming community spaces and forming collaborative strategies to tackle the gang influence in Mitchells Plain.
- The forum emphasised that Mitchells Plain residents, with the support of law enforcement and other agencies, must work together to create a sustainable, community-centered approach to combating gangsterism.
With gang flare-ups and recent killings intensifying in the Mitchells Plain area, the Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) hosted an anti-gangsterism dialogue to find a community-driven solution to combatting the social ills.
Held at the Lentegeur Subcouncil Chambers on Saturday 26 October, local crime volunteers, departments, councillors and organisation representatives joined the robust discussions to come up with potential solutions to the gang problem facing the area. Norman Janjies, CPF chair, says there is a feeling of hopelessness in Mitchells Plain.
“This hopelessness is not going to help us. There is a feeling of fight or flight, but we can’t run away. We are from the ’Plain. We need to confront the situation,” he says.
“It is not a law enforcement thing alone. Law enforcement is but one of the pillars to address gangsterism. Gangsterism for some reason is engrained in our society. Unfortunately this is not going away. It is getting worse.”
Reclaiming spacesMaster of ceremonies, Ward 43 councillor and Subcouncil 17 chair Elton Jansen says despite diversity, the common enemy is gangsterism.
“Irrespective of our differences, if we stand together against this common enemy, which is gangsterism, we can and we will be able to take control of our community,” says Jansen.
Jansen says the public open spaces under the control of gangsters is something that must be addressed.
Following a last minute cancellation by Minister for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais, Kurt Nefdt read her message of support at the event.
“Gangsterism is a terrible problem here in the Western Cape… I want to thank you for the role you are playing against gangsterism and the brave stand you are taking.”
Taking on gangsThe Law Enforcement Advancement plan (LEAP) was one of the targeted approaches to combatting gang hot spots, in addition to the formation of a reaction team to be deployed when flare-ups occur.
READ MORE | Anti-gang unit seeks public help to locate murder suspects
Local police also shared a presentation on the extent of the problem in the precinct. Prof Irvin Kinnes, a criminologist lead the group discussions.
“This is a problem that is faced by the people who live here, officials go home at night. So we have to look at it that way. We have to get the residents of Mitchells Plain to work together and agree on what their strategies are and then take the hand of the state,” he says.
