Gang Monitor Western Cape – Number 3

Hundreds of shootings have rocked gang areas in the Western Cape in the last quarter, with some 200 people shot dead or injured between June and July alone. Aggressive attempts to seize territory continue.

In this issue we focus on:

• The impact of the trial of alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield and 12 others on the streets. Has it reinforced a power vacuum, or does Stanfield reportedly still wield considerable control?
• The disappearance of the alleged leader of the Terrible Josters, Peter Jaggers, a missing shipment of cocaine and the practice of ‘drop-offs’ of cocaine in international waters along the Western Cape coast.
• A weekend of murder, extortion and a seemingly endless supply of guns and ammunition fuels violence in Cape Town’s gangland.
• How gangsters voted in South Africa’s historic 2024 elections and where they think the unity government is heading.

This series of bulletins will continue to monitor developments in gang dynamics in the Western Cape on a quarterly basis to provide a concise summary of relevant trends to inform policy makers and civil society. The monitor is based on information from field researchers working in gang-affected communities in the Western Cape. This includes interviews with current and former gang members, civil society and members of the criminal justice system.