CAPE TOWN - The country’s criminal justice system is failing to protect communities.
That's the view of Cape Crime Crisis Coalition’s Llewellyn Macmaster.
He argued that poverty, unemployment, drugs and extortion are fertile ground,
for organised crime and gangs to thrive.
“We must start with the failure of the state in protecting the whole criminal justice system at the moment is broken, I think, and that contributes heavily to the failure. The other factor that we always mention is that the socio-economic conditions.
“They are drivers of gangsterism and organized crime and the drug, illicit drug trade. In our discussions, I mean, even the first submission that we made to Professor Cachalia when he met with us soon after his appointment was that you've got to look at gangs differently.
Macmaster believes gang violence does not need a one-size-fits-all approach.
“It's no longer just the street gangs of yesteryear. These are gang ecosystems. They have established alternative governance and economies in our communities. And with a high unemployment and poverty that's ravaging our communities, these organized criminals find a way to assert themselves in communities.
“And of course, when you add the whole issue of extortion, I think an easy way for elements to sort of put pressure on communities, on shebeens or taverns or informal businesses. I think that is what drives this. People have the sense, I think, that they can get away with it because the police are not successful. Yes, there are successes and every time acknowledge that, but clearly it is not enough,” he said.