Western Cape Opposition Slams DA Over Rising Gang Violence

Western Cape Opposition Slams DA Over Escalating Gang Violence

Manenberg, a suburb long plagued by gang violence, is once again in the headlines. On Thursday, four men were shot on Renoster Road, leaving three dead and one seriously injured. Police say the incident is tied to ongoing gang conflicts, with detectives from the #AntiGangUnit actively pursuing leads.

But the tragedy has also sparked a political firestorm, with opposition parties pointing fingers at the DA-led provincial government for failing to tackle the root causes of gangsterism.

Crime and Politics Collide

The shooting happened on the same day the DA tabled a motion in the provincial legislature, calling for urgent reforms to protect children from environments that leave them vulnerable to crime.

EFF MPL Aishah Cassiem criticized the move, calling it “shocking” that the DA would sponsor such a debate while also being part of the national government.

“Crime has increased under the watch of the DA, who have governed this province for almost 20 years. If they were serious about solutions, it wouldn’t take two decades to act. Because of the DA, gangsterism continues unchecked. Policing alone will never work,” Cassiem said.

Opposition Voices Frustration

ANC MPL Khalid Sayed echoed the sentiment, highlighting that the DA’s strategy often relies on blaming the national government rather than confronting local failings.

“If the Premier is serious about confronting organised crime, he must also confront the Western Cape government’s failures: poverty, unemployment, school dropouts, and lack of youth opportunities,” Sayed said.

Al Jah Mah MPL Galil Brihkhuis added that the provincial government “must stop pointing fingers” while managing a budget that should be deployed to address crime directly. Brett Herron, GOOD MPL, went further:

“The DA has run the Western Cape alone for nearly 20 years. If all they can do is blame the national government for spiraling violence, we have to ask: what’s the point of having a provincial government at all?”

DA Defends Its Approach

The DA, through Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marias, pointed to the Western Cape Safety Plan 2.0 as the cornerstone of their strategy.

“Crime and violence are not created in a vacuum; they are symptoms of broader socioeconomic realities. By addressing economic exclusion, limited opportunities, and social disconnection, we aim to create an environment where crime struggles to take root,” Marias explained.

Yet critics argue that nearly two decades of governance should have produced more tangible results, especially in communities like Manenberg, where gang violence has deep roots in poverty and unemployment.

The Human Cost

For residents, the statistics are personal. Social media lit up Thursday with reactions from locals mourning the victims, decrying the sense of helplessness in areas where gang activity is woven into daily life. Many called for immediate intervention, emphasizing that while political debates play out, families continue to live under the shadow of violence.

With gang killings showing no signs of slowing, the debate in the Western Cape legislature underscores a deeper tension: political responsibility versus public safety. While the DA promotes long-term strategies, opposition parties argue that immediate, hands-on interventions are long overdue.

For communities like Manenberg, every day of delay is measured in lives lostand growing frustration that political solutions remain slow to reach the streets that need them most.

{Source: IOL}

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