Residents of Valhalla Park in Bishop Lavis are living in constant fear as gang violence continues to spiral out of control.
Tensions over gang territory and leadership have fueled a series of violent incidents, leaving the community on edge as the festive season approaches.
Speaking on VOC Breakfast, Bishop Lavis Community Policing Forum (CPF) Chairperson Graham Lindhorst described the dire state of the area, highlighting the toll the violence has taken on residents.
“The community is at its wits’ end and is deeply traumatized by the crime situation, especially in Valhalla Park, but also in the greater Bishop Lavis community. There are shootings every day, the trauma is immense because you never know when or where it will strike. People are demanding peace,” he added.
Lindhorst also highlighted how normalized violence has become on the Cape Flats.
“It can never be normal to have these kinds of killings and shootings, but unfortunately, it has become the norm.”
“The problem we have as activists on the ground is, why can’t the police get this under control? All they are doing is giving us stats, and stats don’t fix the problem. There must be accountability for these crimes,” he stressed.
Listen to the full interview with Graham Lindhorst below:
VOC News
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