By Ragheema Mclean

Recent weeks have seen a surge in gang violence in areas such as Lavender Hill and Manenberg, raising concerns about the persistent issue of gang violence on the Cape Flats.

NGO Gun Free South Africa has put forth a proposal for the world’s first bulletproof park in Mitchells Plain, aiming to provide a safe play area for children amidst the prevalent threat of gang violence.

Speaking on VOC Breakfast, Claire Taylor, a researcher at Gun Free South Africa, highlighted the urgent need for such measures, citing alarming statistics.

In the period of 2022-23 alone, over 11,300 people were killed with firearms, with nearly 10% of these deaths being gang related. Tragically, many victims are young children hit by stray bullets

Taylor explained, “We developed the proposal to protect children from crossfire. We’ve been talking to community activists, and the area we have identified to build this park is Beacon Valley in Mitchells Plain, an area where gang violence is prevalent.”

“We have got some costings together these are only initial costings but we’re looking at around R10 million to have it built.”

The proposed bulletproof park would cover an area of 20 by 20 meters, enclosed by bulletproof glass, and would accommodate around 24 children. It would include amenities such as a slide, a jungle gym, and a play area, all with controlled access.

The NGO is currently in the process of consulting with various stakeholders to gather feedback. One of the key concerns raised is the limited protection provided by the park, as it would only safeguard children inside the playground.

“People are outraged that we have gotten to a point where we now need to build bulletproof parks. There is a sense of desperation to put in place any kind of measure that will make their communities safer for their kids to play in.”

Meanwhile, while the proposal has garnered support from authorities involved in crime-fighting there has been a mixed reaction from the public, with social media users expressing skepticism about the solution.

Many have expressed that the concept of a bulletproof park may not effectively address the root causes of crime, viewing it something that is accommodating gun violence rather than a solution to the problem.

VOC News

Photos: Gun Free SA