A proposal by Gun Free SA to build the world’s first bulletproof park in Mitchells Plain has been welcomed by crime-fighters despite concerns about gang activities.
The NGO said they had forwarded a proposal to develop the park in the Plain to provide a safe and secure play area for children amid ongoing gang shootings.
“In 2022-23 alone, over 11 300 people were killed with a firearm in a 12-month period, with almost 10% of those deaths being gang-related, and many victims being young children shot by stray bullets,” the organisation says.
Crafted by specialists, the envisioned park, with slides and monkey bars, will be entirely enveloped in bulletproof glass to ward of stray gang bullets.
Cape Flats Safety Forum chairperson Abie Isaacs says they have yet to be briefed about the park.
“We welcome the proposal as we believe parks should be a safe space for children. Right now the parks are at the centre of shootings, drug dealings and other nefarious acts.
“Some of the issues we will look at are the nuts and bolts of this park. How will it work? Who will fund it? How will we ensure gangsters don’t have access?” Isaacs asked.
Gun Free SA director, Adele Kirsten, said Beacon Valley had been earmarked as the location for the park.
Kirsten said the design of the park was complete and was in the costing phase.
“The cost to build the park would come from communities and fundraising, but unfortunately these communities already pay a high toll from gun violence.”
She explained that the park would be big enough for 24 children to play safely inside.
Asked how gangsters would be prevented from entering the park, Kirsten said the proposal included security features like facial recognition, security cameras, and panic buttons to alert local police.
mahira.duval@inl.co.za