Image Source: Daily Maverick
Local – More than 60 children have been killed in Cape Town’s gang violence in just five months. Patric Solomon, Director of Molo Songololo, stated that the rising death toll has devastated families and fractured multiple neighbourhoods in the Western Cape.
“The children are being killed every day, and unfortunately, a large number of them down here in Cape Town have been killed because of gang-related violence.”
He explained that the deaths are no longer isolated tragedies but part of a relentless cycle. On average, more than twelve children are killed each month, forcing communities to live with constant funerals and permanent fear.
Born Into Battlegrounds
According to Solomon, children in Cape Town’s poorest neighbourhoods are raised in an environment where violence is normalised. From toddlerhood, they hear gunfire and witness stabbings that shape their lives before they even start school.
He said families describe raising children in conditions where gangs, not schools, dominate identity. Young people are socialised into a world where survival depends on knowing which streets belong to which groups.
“They are born within these situations and socialised. They have to live within this gang culture.”
Solomon added that not all victims are accidental. While many are caught in crossfire, others are deliberately hunted, killed in feuds they cannot possibly understand.
“Quite a number are caught in crossfire, but we’ve had cases where they were direct targets as well.”
Police Powerless and Ineffective
Solomon pointed to deep policing failures. He said communities often know who the killers are. Yet, these individuals continue to live openly among the families of their victims.
This lack of accountability, he argued, allows gangs to act without fear. Families lose trust in the justice system, while violence continues unchecked.
“Our law enforcement doesn’t seem able to address the issue effectively. Around policing and investigations, we have major challenges.”
Poverty Feeds the Violence Machine
Solomon explained that poverty is a driving force behind the violence. In neighbourhoods stripped of jobs and services, gangs step in to provide income, protection and belonging.
He said children are particularly vulnerable when schools are underfunded and opportunities are scarce. With survival tied to criminal structures, many see gangs as their only option.
“Gangs feed on people in economic stress scenarios—they become an alternative source of survival income.”
According to Solomon, teenagers aged 15 to 17 make up most of the victims, but younger children are also affected. Some as young as four already show loyalty to local gangs.
“As young as four or five, they already have allegiance to certain groups and gangs.”
A United Front to Address the Crisis
Solomon warned that policing alone will not solve the crisis. He said solutions must include poverty relief, proper schooling and social services that can compete with gang power.
He called for urgent recognition of the crisis and immediate government action to protect children. Until then, Cape Town’s children remain under siege.
“We need to declare an emergency around these issues and coordinate a response with all levels of government and civil society to address violence and crime.”
