Westbury and Eldorado Park residents live in fear as gang violence increases Photo VoteDa
Johannesburg – The fight against gang violence in South Africa, particularly in the communities of Westbury and Eldorado Park, has reached a critical and disconcerting juncture. The severity of the predicament cannot be emphasised enough. Within these neighbourhoods, residents are ensnared in an enduring state of trepidation, contending with the unrelenting spectre of gang violence that pervades their daily lives. The cost in terms of lives lost and the innocence shattered by this crisis is immeasurable and more needs to be done to end such senseless violence.
At the core of this dire situation lie fundamental questions. What are the underlying factors that continually stoke the flames of violence and sustain the culture of gangs within these communities? To what extent can the justice system be held accountable for its perceived failure to bring perpetrators to account for their actions? And perhaps, most troubling of all, is there proof that the police might secretly be helping the criminals causing this ongoing violence?
These communities, plagued by gang activity, are witnessing their youth exposed to a perilous world of violence, drug trafficking, and substance abuse. Young individuals are found on street corners, indulging in drugs like weed and “lean” (a mixture of Codeine cough syrup and soda), said Jefferson Alistair, Westbury community activist. Efforts to curb this scourge extend to interventions in schools, but these initiatives face significant hurdles.
“Infiltrating the government schools is fairly difficult. To be able to go in at any time and do what you need to do because of the syllabus that they have to follow. However, at the very same time, I would like to speak about the community. When I speak about the community, we are still at the point of being very volatile. I was in Eldorado Park. What I’ve seen in Westbury is exactly what I have seen in Eldorado Park. The situation is very volatile because of the fact that anytime, anybody can come and attack. That is where we are at.”
A complex problem with no help from government
The heart of the issue reveals its complexity. While gang turf wars may have been the prime motivator in the past, the situation has taken a more ominous turn. Last Friday, a tragic incident unfolded, claiming the lives of four individuals in what is believed to be yet another gang-related assault. This marks the latest in a distressing series of such attacks over the past few months. This incident served as a stark awakening for Alistair.
“Every young person at this current moment has a firearm. I was shocked on Friday night when I listened to one of the boys explain to me the kind of firearms that these people used. I was shocked to think that our people could carry firearms like that. When I looked at the boys that were shot in the afternoon and the way these boys were shot, how on earth do you have a heart to do something like that? We’re killing ourselves.”
Back in 2013, Dereleen James penned a profoundly moving letter to the then-President Jacob Zuma, chronicling her harrowing journey as a single parent grappling with a son ensnared by substance abuse. In a matter of weeks, government officials, along with President Zuma, convened meetings with Dereleen, community leaders, and the wider Eldorado Park community. While there was a temporary lull in the turmoil, the sustained attention from high-ranking government figures dwindled, leaving these communities susceptible to instability once more. Alistair contends that government authorities have let them down with many officials in the pockets of drug dealers.
“The unfortunate thing I have come to notice and see is that the government doesn’t take us too seriously when it gets to these issues … There was supposed to have been stability [in Eldorado Park] for a very long time. Drugs were supposed to have been eradicated a long time ago because it’s so easy for police to come into the area to try and stabilise it. However, it takes two or three days and then they are also in the pocket of the leader. It doesn’t matter on what level they are, they can be of any unit that comes in. That is something that is also happening in Westbury.”
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The role of civil society in dealing with gang violence
Given the myriad challenges at play and a pervasive distrust in the police force, is it now the moment for civil society to unite and confront this issue together? The road ahead is rife with intricacies and grave dangers. A significant number of firearms are in the possession of unaccountable young individuals, and the drug trade has firmly rooted itself, rendering external eradication efforts exceptionally challenging. There is also a threat the community will turn on you if you speak out.
“At one stage we were stationed at the police station and just about a month into it, there was a boy that shot another boy. I took the police right up to the doorstep and our very same people attacked me. The stuff that was released upon me saying that I would lose my life the following week and I made sure that that boy did not get released from prison … The only case the police do take on is if there is an actual shooting. The most amazing thing is that they don’t arrest the right people. About two or three weeks ago there was a boy that was arrested. He’s in prison even as we speak. He was then blamed for shooting somebody while he was in prison. I don’t understand. How do our people and the police get to do something like that?”
A call for new approaches
Given the perceived ineffectiveness of the police and local counsellors, the question arises: should the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) be called upon to restore order and safety? The deteriorating situation, if left unchecked, threatens the future of the youth and the broader community. This should be a last resort. Alistair feels that police should be sitting down with the community and figuring out how to tackle this problem together.
“The police know that the people of the community have a problem with the drug dealer. Why not arrest the person, organise with the community an open meeting where the people speak and they tell the drug dealer exactly how they feel because then there will be fear from the drug dealers saying that the whole community is against me. Bringing in SANDF will work exactly the same way as opposed to the police being here currently … If the police can listen to the voice of the people when it gets to us, we tell them what will work for us. Don’t just go and do normal searches. No, you need to listen to what we say. You do what we want as the people and you’ll see what happens.”
Counsellors, too, must actively engage and contribute to resolving this crisis. Alistair points out that counsellors seldom venture into the community, with their presence often limited to financial gain, leaving them perceived as “just there for the paycheck.” The path forward is undeniably arduous, considering the drug trade’s deeply ingrained presence and the widespread unemployment plaguing the region. Tackling drug-related challenges necessitates confronting these economic and social issues. While activists like Alistair take the lead, comprehensive community involvement and cooperation from all pertinent parties are imperative to effect meaningful change.
The inescapable gravity of this crisis, manifested in lives lost and innocence stolen, compels immediate action. The intricate nature of the problem, interwoven with issues of justice, law enforcement, and societal neglect, demands an unwavering commitment from both the government and civil society. While challenges abound, from the prevalence of firearms among the youth to the entrenched drug trade, the call for unity, dialogue, and community-driven solutions must resonate louder than ever. It is a call for the collective strength of the people, working hand in hand with authorities and counsellors, to lead the way toward a safer, more hopeful future for these embattled neighbourhoods.
