South African Police Struggle Against Escalating Gang Violence

Fri Jan 23 2026 13:55:22 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Police Minister Firoz Cachalia admits that South Africa's security forces are not equipped to defeat increasingly complex gang violence, which is a significant contributor to the nation's high homicide rates.

Despite recent efforts, South African police continue to face overwhelming challenges from organised crime and gang violence. Minister Firoz Cachalia highlights a need for new strategies as gangs grow more powerful, particularly in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces. Average daily murders remain alarming, and the situation has worsened despite the establishment of an anti-gang unit in 2019.

South Africa's Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has stated that the country's security forces are currently unable to defeat rampant gang violence, a stark admission that underscores the severity of the ongoing crime crisis.

Gang-related violence, along with robberies, has led to many of the murders in South Africa, which has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Cachalia noted the increasing complexity of gang violence, especially in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces, calling for new strategies that go beyond traditional policing methods.

I do not believe that we are currently in a position to defeat these gangs, the minister told reporters during a press briefing.

With deep-rooted organized crime persisting in South Africa, renowned as the continent's most industrialized nation, police data reveals an average of 63 murders per day occurred between April and September last year. The rise in gang violence has led to public concern over safety, prompting some citizens to arm themselves legally, even as many illegal firearms circulate widely.

During a recent visit to the prominently afflicted Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape, Cachalia described gangs as being on a killing spree in the region. He stated that it is vital to address the matter of organized crime, which involves extortion, violence, and considerable power dynamics within these groups.

Despite the formation of an anti-gang unit in 2019, Cachalia expressed that the gangsters continue to outmaneuver police efforts. We really do not think we should be approaching this matter in a point-scoring way, he said. While the police have stated they are doing their utmost to fight the escalating violence, the problem continues to grow.

Violence in the Nelson Mandela Bay region spiked dramatically last year, with numerous homicides reported, particularly linked to gang conflicts over territory and illicit trades. As political leaders like President Cyril Ramaphosa propose enhanced law enforcement and police presence to mitigate the situation, many citizens remain concerned about safety and the ever-growing influence of organized crime.