CAPE TOWN - As the country awaits the State of the Nation address, communities want to hear from President Cyril Ramaphosa about ending gun violence.
Last year, Western Cape police reported over a thousand murders, with guns accounting for most of them.
Police also recovered 880 illicit firearms in the same period.
Some believe deploying the army and declaring a state of calamity is the best way forward.
Cape Flats residents say the streets have been bleeding for a long time, and every day, a young life is lost.
On these streets, calm is fleeting. Gunshots ring out daily, at any time of day or night.
Despite increased police deployment, community members say they don't feel safe.
And they don't want any promises from the President either.
Acknowledging their own shortcomings, police say many firearms on the streets are new and unregistered, and they’ve struggled to trace their source.
All eyes will be on Ramaphosa on Thursday, with gang-ridden neighbourhoods looking for more than just words, but practical ways to end the violence.
- eNCA's Nobesuthu Hejana reports.