Gangsterism in Cape Town is more than a social problem, its an epidemic. The ever-increasing statistic regarding gang-related violence is alarming, but is there a solution to the root of the problem?

One could attribute the “attraction” of joining gangs as being a safe-haven for children seeking protection from threats in their communities – kind of a “lesser of the two evils” scenario.

Children as young as 12 are being sworn into gangs and see it as a way out of the impoverished lives that many live.

In 2013, 12% of the 2,580 murders in the province were gang-related (2nd behind arguments turned violent), according to the South African Police Service.

The problem of gangs is deeply entrenched in the culture and family legacy of certain areas, where sons are following their fathers’ and uncles’ roads into the gang lifestyle.

There seems to be two approaches to solving this problem: the “fire-fighting approach” (the head-on aggressive angle of arresting gang leaders), and the developmental approach (trying to fix the core problem), as described by anthropologist, Dr. Kelly Gillespie. 

We really want to keep kids out of prison. I’ve seen so many young men get arrested when they’re early on in their engagement with formal gang structures and they go to prison and there they become deeply entrenched in those gangs.

So what is the solution? Many believe that the only option is co-operation between relevant departments and institutions, but how exactly to do that, is still the question.

[source: Daily Maverick]