Solidarity Mission Shines Light on Women in Gang-Affected Communities

Cape Town, 25 November 2025 – Women from across South Africa came together at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children in Manenberg for the Solidarity Mission for Women Living in Gang-Affected Areas in the Western Cape. The event, coordinated by the Women’s Election Mechanism for Peace (WEMP) under the auspices of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and its partners, coincided with the launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.

The mission highlighted the ongoing impact of gangsterism across South Africa’s townships, where communities such as Manenberg, Hanover Park, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Lotus River, Lavender Hill, Bonteheuwel, Langa, and Khayelitsha face daily threats of violence, intimidation, and social disintegration. Women and children were identified as the most vulnerable, bearing emotional and economic burdens while living under constant threat of gender-based and gang-related violence.

The event aimed to amplify women’s voices, strengthen community resilience, and co-create strategies for sustainable peacebuilding. Participants shared experiences, explored solutions, and expressed solidarity with those enduring the harsh realities of gang-afflicted neighbourhoods.

Key speakers included Prof. Cheryl Hendricks, Executive Director of IJR; Caroline Peters, Executive Director of Callas Foundation; Patsy Daniels of the Lerato Family Foundation; Alison Lazarus, peacebuilding consultant; and Prof. Irvin Kinnes from the University of Cape Town’s Department of Public Law.

Partner organisations for the event included: African Women Leaders Network; Afrikology; Callas Foundation; Embassy of Ireland, South Africa; Lerato Family Foundation; Netherlands Embassy in South Africa; South African Council of Churches; South African Women in Dialogue; UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office, and; University of Cape Town.

The mission underscored the urgent need for collaborative action to protect women and children, and to restore safety and social cohesion in communities grappling with gang violence.