Cape Town’s ongoing cycle of gang violence has again placed children in the crosshairs, prompting civil rights organisations and political leaders to call for urgent government intervention. The head of Action Society’s Western Cape branch, Kaylynn Palm, said the government needs to do more. “Cape Town’s children are living in a war zone while the government remains paralysed.
We need specialised localised policing with real resources and real accountability. Our communities cannot survive a system that is distant, centralised and failing at every basic level,” she said. Palm’s remarks come in the wake of the brutal murder of nine-year-old Zechariah Matthee, who was shot dead in a mass shooting in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, last week.
Matthee was one of three victims killed when gunmen opened fire. Two adults, aged 25 and 30, were also killed. His killing was followed by a wave of violence that left more children wounded or dead: “These incidents paint a horrifying picture.
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Children in the Western Cape are being gunned down in their homes, yards and streets. This is a full-blown emergency. Without real policing capacity and community-driven safety interventions, more children will die.” We refuse to allow Zechariah’s case to become another file collecting dust.
We will monitor the investigation and push for accountability Palm said Action Society would ensure Zechariah’s case is not forgotten. “We refuse to allow Zechariah’s case to become another file collecting dust. We will monitor the investigation and push for accountability.” The organisation has called on SAPS to prioritise the investigation into Zechariah’s murder and intensify operations in gang-affected areas, vowing to continue supporting affected families and pressuring government structures “that have failed to protect the province’s most vulnerable residents”.
The attacks unfolded during the national 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, a period intended to highlight and combat violence against vulnerable groups. GOOD party councillor Jonathan Cupido also condemned the killings, urging law enforcement and prosecuting authorities to take decisive action, calling for:
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