The past quarter has seen major incidents of taxi and gang-related violence, concentrated in areas such as Vrygrond, Hanover Park and Ottery. Our research team continually gathers and maps granular data on gang territories across Cape Town. This aims to shed light on how criminal control in different neighbourhoods shapes patterns of violence.

In this issue:

• The induction of Ralph Stanfield into a prison ‘Number’ gang.
• Systemic security failures highlighted by the Wynberg court shooting.
• Accelerating gang recruitment of children.
• Mapping gang dynamics in Ocean View.

ABOUT THIS REPORT

This is the fifth issue of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime’s Western Cape Gang Monitor, an output of our South Africa Organized Crime Observatory. This series of bulletins tracks developments in Western Cape gang dynamics each quarter, to provide a concise synthesis of relevant trends to inform policymakers and civil society. The monitor draws on information provided by field researchers working in gang-affected communities of the Western Cape. This includes interviews with current and former gang members, civil society, and members of the criminal justice system.