By Lee-Yandra Paulsen
The ongoing violence on the Cape Flats was tragically highlighted this weekend by the shooting of two boys, aged 14 and 17, in Lavender Hill. The police reported that the boys were shot in the head by unidentified suspects while walking on St. Bernard Street. An investigation into the double murder is underway.
Speaking to VOC Breakfast on Tuesday, Juanita du Preez, spokesperson and operational manager at Action Society, addressed the pervasive issue of children on the Cape Flats being addicted to drugs and facing daily life-threatening dangers.
“It is a big problem that we see every time, and it is so sad to see it almost become the norm now on the Cape Flats. Some of the questions that I’ve seen in the comments of the story were why the kids were out of school since 2021 when they were 11 and 14. Why were they not forced to go back to school? However, whether they were in school or not, the drug problem is rife; it is available everywhere. They would still be addicted. It is so sad that they lost their lives long before they were shot because they were so addicted to drugs at that young age.”
Du Preez criticized the failure of the social system, stating, “Because we know the problem is so big, it is almost as though the official social structure cannot handle all the issues they have to deal with. So, the problem is much higher up. It is not just the social structure; it is a whole area that is infested by drugs. The drugs are a problem, the social structure is a problem, and policing is a problem. Even though you have more boots on the ground, you don’t have enough intelligence to determine where the gangs are acting. Why can’t they be stopped? It is such a big problem, and it just goes in a circle. It seems like every child born there will just go into that loop again.”
Discussing the gang violence plaguing most Cape Town communities, Du Preez noted that in places like Lentegeur, where gang violence is also rampant, the community has taken matters into their own hands by starting a neighbourhood watch. “The community in Lentegeur has a walking bus where they escort children and people going to and from work, which gives the community a bit of safety. It might not save you from a bullet, but at least there is a big presence in the community,” she stated.
Du Preez emphasized that the problem is multi-faceted, requiring not just increased police presence or improved social structures but also community involvement in reclaiming their neighbourhoods. “All of these things combined might start cutting the problem.”
The implications of early drug use among young children are significant
Nuraan Osman, director at the Ihata Shelter, highlighted the widespread issue of children using drugs and being part of gangs on the Cape Flats. “It is not unusual for us in our community to see children and parents using substances together. Sometimes parents forget that we are an example to children. We have children placed with us who are also substance users, and this is very concerning.”
“One of the things I advocate for very strongly, and I am worried about particularly in vulnerable communities, is that people are turning to substance abuse to cope with life.”
Osman stressed the need for funding, support, and access to psychosocial services for vulnerable families. She mentioned that social services were somewhat aware of the boys’ situation. “There is a problem; there is a challenge. Social workers are overburdened, handling 200–300 cases a month. So, children fall through the cracks. Often, when there is a crisis, children are removed.”
“Why are we not spending our resources on empowering, for example, a mother who is a widow and uses substances? Why are we not spending resources to help her take better care of her children? Why does the school not follow up and fetch those children when they drop out?”
Osman called for a multidisciplinary approach to address these issues, involving the community, government, and service providers. “For us to have success in alleviating poverty and associated challenges, we need multi-disciplinary teams. We need the community to partner with the government and service providers to save our children. We are losing our children rapidly.”
“I wish there were more ministers spending money on social welfare causes. What will happen when children are at risk? What will happen when our youth are destroyed? What will happen to the future of South Africa?” she questioned.
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm
