And the police have been accused of disrupting proceedings.

"They called my son, who was on his way to the shop, and threw him into the [police] van," said one of three parents waiting at the Philippi police station for their children to be released. Her 17-year-old son was arrested.

Weldon Cameron, spokesman for the Community Policing Forum, which organised the meeting, said peace was brokered on Friday.

"The gangsters were supposed to declare publicly that they agreed to peace, and apologise. Then police came and chased the gangsters away. [New cluster commander for the area Major] Jeremy Vearey said it was an illegal gathering," said Cameron.

"Why arrest my son? He isn't a gangster," said the mother.

Police spokesman Brigadier Novela Potelwa said 10 people were "taken in". Police checked whether they had any outstanding cases or warrants and then released them.

Gang warfare on the Cape Flats has claimed dozens of lives in recent months.

National Coordinator of People Against Gangsterism and Drugs Abdus-Salaam Ebrahim said dirty politicians and corrupt cops are involved in gang wars.

"The gang violence is sparked by drug turf wars. It is big money ... and there are government officials involved. There are politicians involved and corrupt cops involved," said Ebrahim.

He claimed that the government has enough resources to bring the situation under control.

"We know they have the infrastructure to get rid of the drugs but they don't have the willpower to do it," he said.

Ebrahim, who spent years behind bars for public violence, said Pagad welcomed the DA's call for specialised police anti-gang units and the deployment of the army.

Ebrahim said community safety MEC Dan Plato and his predecessor, Albert Fritz, were failures who were good only at making promises.

Plato's spokesman, Greg Warner, said: "Minister Plato has previously said that he supports all initiatives to ensure the safety of our communities as long as the organisations promoting peace do so within the confines of the law."