Video footage showing a group of Cape Town gangsters brandishing assault rifles and releasing gunfire in the air has gone viral on social media.
Cape Town gangs caught on camera shooting assault rifles in the air
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South African netizens have been up in arms over the viral clips spreading on social media, where a group of unidentified men are caught on camera toying around with military-grade rifles.
The video clip, taken near a funeral in Joe Slovo Park, an informal settlement nestled in Milnerton, shows several males believed to be gang members carelessly swinging the assault rifles and releasing gunfire in the air, much to the crowd’s appeasement.
The gang members take turns brandishing the deadly arsenal, completely oblivious to the immediate dangers their actions pose to passers-by.
A source who spoke to Swisher Post in anonymity, who was near the scene of the shooting, compared living in Joe Slovo Park to “a military base where gunshots [are] everyday norms.”
“It’s raining and people are busy shooting in Joe Slovo Park,” the source said.
An attempt to get more information from Cape Town police about the disturbing videos was unsuccessful when this article was published.
Does Cape Town have a gun problem?
Cape Town indeed faces a significant gun problem, highlighted by its high rates of violent crime and murder, making it one of the world’s most dangerous cities.
A report by the Mexican Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice placed Cape Town among the top ten most violent cities globally, with a notable mention of its murder rate being the highest among the surveyed cities, indicating a serious crime crisis exacerbated by access to illegal firearms.
The proliferation of guns has been identified as a key factor contributing to the city’s gang violence, particularly in communities on the Cape Flats.
This situation worsened dramatically after 2011 when gangs gained access to large consignments of illegal arms, leading to a significant increase in violent crimes and murders.
This violent crime crisis is not solely attributed to the availability of illegal firearms but is also driven by factors such as high levels of unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, and a history of domestic violence.
The situation is compounded by a culture of hyper-violent masculinity and a lack of resources and job opportunities, especially for young men, which often leads them towards gang involvement as a means of survival.