Cape Flats crime fighters are alarmed by the growing number of students involved in criminal activities for gangs during school holidays.
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Areas like Ottery, Manenberg, Grassy Park, Mitchells Plain, and Hanover Park have seen an increase in gang violence, with bystanders often caught in the crossfire.
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Community activist Lynn Phillips noted that students are frequently linked to gangs, primarily used for drug trafficking and selling drugs in schools.
‘Regardless of age, once recruited, these children are often armed,’ said Phillips.
Hanover Park CPF spokesperson Kashiefa Mohammed highlighted the tragic reality of children, some as young as 10, carrying guns and committing violent acts under gang orders.
‘These kids should be playing games and sports, but instead, they’re drawn to gangs for quick money,’ she said, emphasising the lack of harsh consequences for young offenders.
In a recent incident, 17-year-old Shante Adams was shot dead while sitting with friends in Delft. Her mother, Griszelda, is devastated, struggling to cope with the loss. She recounted how her daughter was shot in the head while sitting in a wendy house, thinking the noise was just stones being thrown. Shante’s death is the third in their family due to gang violence.
Griszelda believes her daughter’s killers are from the Nice Time Kids gang. In another incident, 19-year-old Moegamat Armien Hartsenberg was stabbed to death in Bonteheuwel. The police are investigating both cases.
Crime fighters stress the importance of parents knowing their children’s whereabouts during holidays. Lavender Hill CPF chairperson Gavin Walbrugh expressed deep concern over the increasing gang violence despite police presence, noting a rise in violence during school holidays.
Western Cape education department spokesperson Millicent Merton stated that the department lacks information on incidents off school premises, deferring questions to the police, who did not respond by publication time.
According to the Western Cape Department of Health, between 1 January and 12 June, 2024, public health facilities treated 333 children for firearm-related injuries, with 58 fatalities. The department reported a rise in child deaths due to firearms from 83 in 2022 to 89 in 2023.
Most children treated for gunshot wounds were unintended victims caught in gang crossfires, leading to significant preventable costs to the health system.
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