Subcouncil 17 have backed an ambitious community-driven safety initiative aimed at reducing gang violence.
The proposal, presented by independent criminologist Ben de Vos and Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) project manager Ignatius France on Tuesday, outlines a five-year plan to reclaim gang-controlled spaces and create safe areas for children.
The project, which was piloted in Westridge and Portland, stems from an anti-gang dialogue held in the Subcouncil chambers in 2024.
At the meeting, residents and councillors identified the need for coordinated action against escalating violence.
De Vos, who masterminded the neighbourhood safety officer (NSO) programme in Cape Town, said Portland became a “contested site” between the two 28s gangs.
Detailed approach to nodal safety
He said the project takes a network governance approach to local safety in Mitchells Plain, with nodal safety governance located within this framework.
“A node is a geographical space or spaces where assemblages of human capital and agency come together in a meaningful way to create the conditions for safety and security,” he said.
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The main objective of nodal safety governance is “the mobilisation and coordination of social capital and collective community capacities and capabilities towards fostering of collective efficacy, trust and ownership.” The approach aims to create safe spaces and conditions necessary for collaboration and better community police relations.
Communities held captive
“Gangs have kept us captive in our houses,” De Vos told councillors. “The presence of the army will allow people to have the confidence to come out and play. We have that opportunity to make those spaces safe for our kids.”
The strategy proposes trauma-informed holiday programmes, youth empowerment initiatives, environmental activation projects, and strengthened coordination between neighbourhood watches and community policing forums.
Key interventions include; “containerised” office spaces for community safety structures, park clean-ups, mural projects, and small business development in currently dangerous areas.
The plan envisions scaling across Mitchells Plain by 2030, with major capital investments including park upgrades, CCTV systems, and improved lighting.
Ward 79 councillor Danny Christians revealed that R650 000 had already been allocated for fencing and playground equipment at one identified site in the 2026-27 financial year.
Army deployment adds new dimension
The Subcouncil will further discuss the financial implications of the project and coordinate with City departments before fully implementing the strategy.
Westridge councillor Ashley Potts praised the “well thought through plan” but stressed the need to work through details and examine how the initiative will incorporate the planned deployment of South African National Defence Force personnel to gang-affected areas.
The Impact Movement, formed by activists following the 2024 dialogue, has partnered with VPUU to develop what they term a “nodal governance safety model” concentrating resources and technology in specific safe spaces.
Councillors unanimously supported further engagement to develop the proposal into a comprehensive anti-gang strategy for Mitchells Plain.
