Image Source: The South African
Western Cape – Yaseen Johaar from the Hanover Park Community Policing Forum believes that the Democratic Alliance (DA), as the provincial government, has the resources and capacity to address the numerous challenges in the Western Cape, particularly in the Cape Flats.
These areas have long suffered from issues that devastate communities and leave residents in constant fear and instability. Despite numerous efforts and expensive technological initiatives by stakeholders, violence remains deeply rooted in these communities, with minimal signs of improvement.
Johaar points out that crime, gang violence, and drug problems persist due to multiple factors, including the ongoing political conflict between the African National Congress (ANC) and the DA.
These two parties, although partners in the Government of National Unity, have historically been at odds with each other. This rivalry, he argues, has stalled meaningful collaboration, depriving communities of cohesive leadership and effective, sustained solutions.
This lack of unified action has allowed gang activities and criminal networks, both local and international, to grow unchecked, further harming innocent people.
“The impact of the political differences here in the Cape is a major factor, and it’s really sad because it affects the lives of people. Whether they are gangsters or not, these are human lives. Included in that are innocent people as well.”
“What needs to happen is that there needs to be political will, and both local and national governments need to set aside their differences and realise that we are in a crisis. The number of people murdered and wounded is equivalent to that seen in wars across the world. They need to play their role for things to change.”
While the government has invested heavily in advanced technology and increased police presence, Johaar explains that these measures alone have not curbed drug abuse, crime, or gang violence. Millions have been spent on ShotSpotter systems, CCTV, and drones, yet the underlying causes remain unaddressed.
Problems such as deep-rooted poverty, high unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, and a lack of essential resources create an environment where crime flourishes.
Johaar believes that redirecting these investments into community development—improving schools, creating job opportunities, and meeting basic needs—would lead to significant and lasting reductions in crime. He also urges that decision-making include input from community members who understand the daily struggles and can contribute to tailored practical solutions.
“We’ve done the calculations, about 500,000 Rand is spent on technology each month just for Hanover Park, if not more. We’re saying, “Couldn’t that money be invested into addressing the root causes of crime?”
“If you improve conditions in Hanover Park, particularly in the schools, and model them after top schools, ensuring that those 500 teenage dropouts return to school, and work towards increasing employment by 5% or 10%, I can confidently say that gang violence would then also decrease.”
