[imagesource:here]

Gangsterism is rife in Cape Town, and once you’re in, getting out isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

The recent deployment of army forces to gang-stricken areas in Cape Town has once again shone a light on how these criminal enterprises operate.

Gang leaders have already made it clear that they do not fear the army, and their organisations are set up in such a way that ” only the smartest and most strategic is given a seat at the table”.

That’s according to former high-ranking gang member Safwaan (not his real name), who spoke with News24 about how they get, and maintain, their power:

The boys lured into gangsterism are predominantly from troubled or single-parent homes where the son is seeking a father figure or role model, he explained.

“It’s about offering a sense of belonging, a better unit than the one you know. They will promise to be your brother, father, uncle – everything in one pseudo family package. All you need is the right attitude and a strong sense of identity. Those are the ones who make the best recruits,” he said.

“Gangs don’t go after the weak. But when they are found to be in the ranks, they are the ones used as foot soldiers, the ones who are given a gun knowing that they will probably die in the first line of fire.”

Youngsters in school uniform are great “runners”, because they’re less likely to be stopped and searched by police, whilst “enforcers” are used to carry out hits.

Behind the scenes, the “lieutenants” and “colonels” call the shots, and are the brains of the operation.

Law enforcement officials familiar with Cape Town’s gang scene estimate that there are as many as 30 gangs operating in the area, with the Americans, the 28s, the Mongrels, the Terrible Josters and the Junky Funky Kids amongst the most well-known.

The 10 worst affected areas are Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain, Delft, Elsies River, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Philippi, Kraaifontein and Manenberg, which is where the army has been deployed.

News24’s excellent interactive map allows you to focus in on each area, to see which gangs are battling for control and where:

Clearly, the army is still up against it. On Saturday, a 16-year-old girl was shot in the leg after being caught in the crossfire in Manenberg, and a six-year-old boy was hurt in a shooting in Mitchells Plain.

There were also three people injured in a gun battle in Lavender Hill, reports EWN.

The gangs operate as businesses, with money and power the order of the day.

Sadly, if you’re sucked into their world, getting out can prove extremely difficult. Here’s Safwaan again:

“Gangsterism is a culture. It will always be there. We will never stop it, but we can try to decrease it.”

According to Safwaan, in gangsterism there is usually only one way in and one way out – bloodshed.

“Most of the time, you would get killed if you try to leave. Some find a way out through religion, but you have to prove your commitment to that faith or else you can die then too,” he said.

“But the most common one is called a ‘write-off’ – it’s when you promise your son, nephew or relative to take your place. Sometimes the person offered is as young as 5, 6 years old. You hope that by the time that person is of age, the commitment would have been forgotten or the people involved would have died. But if it doesn’t work out that way, when they are old enough to be useful, they will be called on.

“As long as there is a need for a pseudo family, there will never be a shortage of members willing to join.”

That’s staggering.

Also, it’s food for thought for those who seem unable to understand the difficulties of growing up in an area where gangsterism is rife, and keeping your hands clean isn’t simply a conscious decision.

[sources:news24&ewn]