African News Agency
COMMUNITY movement #GangsterismMustFall said it blames Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille for youth involvement in gangs on the Cape Flats.
It alleged that she had neglected the well-being of young people to the point where they were increasingly turning to gangs.
“Being a youth in Cape Town is definitely not easy,” said #GangsterismMustFall convener Roscoe Jacobs.
“We live in the Mother City, but our mother has been absent and ignorant in addressing the struggles young people face.
"This, we believe, has resulted in an increase in youth in gangs and the culture of gang violence as fostered by the mother of the Mother City, mayor Patricia de Lille.”
Jacobs, who is also a Hout Bay community activist and ANC Youth League member, said De Lille’s alleged failure to prioritise youth development during her term in office has resulted in “the perpetuation of gang culture in Cape Town”, specifically among young people on the Cape Flats and in townships.
Jacobs added that the city council itself had acknowledged, in its draft youth policy, that 50% of youth between the ages of 15 and 24 were unemployed.
De Lille’s office refuted Jacobs’s allegations and claims youth-oriented policies had not been implemented.
“We have devoted R25 million to 107 initiatives and programmes pertaining to youth development,” said De Lille’s spokesperson, Pierrine Leukes.
“That is just for this financial year.”
Leukes said that the investment illustrated the City’s understanding of difficulties faced by youth.
“We know that we are doing our part with the resources available to us, but the challenges are complex and require interventions from all stakeholders, which includes civil society, the private sector (and) the different spheres of government.
“It is an issue which requires us to work together and to ask what we can do to help instead of shifting blame.”