Gang wars: Violence spills out of Cape Flats

Cape Town's deadly gang wars have spilt over into traditionally quiet and peaceful areas.

While the Cape Flats have been ravaged by gang violence for decades, it is now spreading to upmarket suburbs, restaurants, hospitals and the airport.

On Wednesday, alleged gang boss Jerome "Donkie" Booysen was shot and injured as he was dropped off at Cape Town International Airport.

Another attempt was made to kill him again on Thursday night at the hospital he was taken to for treatment.

The would-be killers, one of whom was dressed as a woman, were stopped by relatives from getting near Booysen.

Booysen's shooting follows one at Cubana's restaurant in Stellenbosch two weeks ago and another at Café Caprice in Camps Bay in April.

Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said the spread of gang violence to other areas was a sign that the police had lost control over gangsters and policing.

He said gangsters believed there would be no retribution for their actions, which is why they would dare open fire at an airport.

 "If the police and the government don't act on these violent crimes soon, they will lose even more control."

Gareth Newham of the Institute for Security Studies said the weakening of police leadership provided opportunities for criminals to act without fear of punishment.

"For a gang member to go to a national key point to shoot another gang member in the open and then go to a hospital, shows that they have absolutely no concern that they will be held accountable."

Newham said gangsters were taking advantage of a weakening policing capacity and were able to fight it out in public spaces.

"It is a profound failure in policing. It has nothing to do with airport security."

Research director at the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum Simon Howell said that the gang violence we are witnessing is due to a shift in leadership roles and the order to eliminate a specific person.

"This is a high-level operation in which they are trying to eliminate each other's bosses." This was because there had been shifts in gang relationships and in economic interest. The gang conflict in Hanover Park or Manenberg were primarily about illegal drugs and territory. The fights at clubs and the airport were about leadership.

Plato has been very vocal in ridding the Cape Flats of gangsters, and has received numerous threats from gangsters over the years. "I have become immune to their threats. When I was Lavender Hill last week I was threatened by the gangsters to leave the area. They were so daring that they threatened me and my team in front of the police."