Carlo Petersen
GANG violence on the Cape Flats, where gangsters hold entire communities in the grip of fear, can be equated to acts of torture, an expert said yesterday.
On Monday night, two men ran down 9th Avenue, Bokmakierie, shooting indiscriminately while children were playing in the street.
Saadiqah Lipperd, 6, was shot in the stomach and she was rushed to Groote Schuur Hospital, where she died a few hours later.
Her killing sent shock waves through the community which had been quiet for the past two years.
Two men aged 22 and 26 have been arrested, and are expected to appear in court today on a charge of murder. The trauma expert said: “An argument can be made for the current gang violence, and the inadequate response from government agencies to eradicating it as grounds to view gang violence as an act of torture on the basis of omission or failure to protect its citizens.
“In the Western Cape, there is a policy regarding gang violence prevention and intervention. It was ratified by the ANC provincial cabinet in 2008, but it hasn’t been implemented by the current government.
“There are talks that the policy needs to be revised.”
Community Safety MEC Dan Plato admitted that the programmes in place are not working and that there is “a desperate need” for all three spheres of government to come together with community leaders to tackle gangsterism.
Gangsterism Must Fall convener Roscoe Jacobs said: “It’s funny Plato says there is a need for all three spheres to come together with community leaders as we have been advocating that since our first march in February. Plato, along with Patricia de Lille and Helen Zille, all lack the political will. They all have blood on their hands.”