IT'S all hands on deck as the government, in partnership with the community of Mitchells Plain, hold hands to combat the continuous gun violence which has plagued the community.
On Sunday another “Save Mitchells Plain” prayer motorcade was held as religious leaders, community forums and community members visited and prayed at the hotspot areas.
Chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum, Norman Jantjies, said they held a meeting with the provincial Head of Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety last week, where a gang intervention draft plan was presented.
The meeting was attended by the CPFs, leaders of the Neighbourhood Watch and Sub Forums, as well as religious leaders from the Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain and Strandfontein areas.
He said the community attendees will study this draft plan and give feedback at a follow-up meeting expected to take place this week.
Jantjies said: “The CPF leaders plus religious leaders from the Mitchells Plain area as well as from other crime hotspots met with senior SAPS Management on 9 July 2025 where they shared their concerns about policing whilst SAPS gave an undertaking to continue with their operations within the affected areas.
"SAPS will also ensure that these stations are adequately resourced with vehicles and adequately trained personnel.
“Religious leaders are furthermore urged to convene church services focusing on the crime and gang crisis facing Mitchell's Plain.
"We need to focus on building a united front against gangs so that we can "save" Mitchell's Plain. Meetings are also being held with Western Cape Education Department in order to ensure school safety.”
The Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais said that action plan to address gang violence in Mitchells Plain is not only limited to Mitchells Plain but will be implemented in other communities as well.
Marais explained: “The action plan to address gang violence in Mitchells Plain involves close cooperation between government, law enforcement agencies and the residents of Mitchells Plain. The action plan includes valuable contributions/ inputs from a very active Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) who in recent months engaged various organisations and activists to come up with an anti-gang strategy.
"The Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community, as the Central Safety Coordinator in the province, will bring all government departments, law enforcement and citizens together and coordinate a collective effort to address the factors that is sustaining the gang culture.
The "South African Police Service in Collaboration with LEAP, the City of Cape Town`s Metro Police and Traffic Services is conducting high density operations in the area. Their combined efforts yielded positive results since their deployment.
"It is important to note that this strategy is not limited to Mitchells Plain alone but will be implemented in other communities as well in collaboration with CPFs and other community structures in those communities.”