Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 18 December 2025

📸 Children as young as six are being pulled into gangs on the Cape Flats, lured by survival, substance abuse and a false sense of belonging.

Children as young as six years old are being actively recruited into gangs on the Cape Flats, lured by money, material possessions and a false sense of belonging amid deepening poverty and social instability. This disturbing reality has once again placed the spotlight on the growing crisis of child gangsterism in the region, where violence has become a daily feature of life.

Reports indicate that children are targeted at an alarmingly young age, with gangs deliberately identifying those who appear isolated, vulnerable or desperate. A recent News24 report highlighted the experience of a 14-year-old boy working as a “runner” for a gang regarded as one of the most dangerous roles due to high visibility to both rival gangs and law enforcement. The boy described living in “constant fear”, surrounded by violence and under relentless pressure to survive.

Statistics paint an equally grim picture. Over a five-year period, at least 157 children under the age of 18 were killed in gang-related violence on the Cape Flats. Many of the victims were teenagers, their lives cut short before reaching adulthood.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Marguerite Holtzhauzen, Director of the Trauma Centre, confirmed that recruitment often begins far earlier than commonly assumed. “From the age of six, children are exposed to substances like cannabis,” she said, explaining that drugs are frequently used to normalise criminal behaviour and impair judgment from a young age. “From around age 10, children are actively targeted and watched by those looking to exploit them.”

Holtzhauzen warned that prolonged exposure to violence has devastating effects on children’s brain development. “When children grow up in constant survival mode, their cognitive abilities are diminished. The part of the brain needed for learning and growth is compromised,” she explained. This, combined with substance abuse, severely limits their chances of escaping the cycle of poverty and crime.

While boys are often seen as the primary targets, Holtzhauzen stressed that girls are equally vulnerable. Many are drawn into relationships with gang members, only to be abandoned, pregnant and forced into adulthood without support. “It’s not just a boys’ issue it’s a societal problem,” she said.

She called on communities to prioritise prevention by creating safe spaces for children, particularly during high-risk periods like the festive season. “Sometimes it’s not about money,” Holtzhauzen noted. “It’s about attention, safety and belonging.”

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Marguerite Holtzhauzen.