The Cry of the Xcluded and the Back2Work Campaign strongly condemns the violent assault of our comrade and leader, Mikel Khumalo, by members of the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit during a raid in Xakabantu, Vrygrond, on Sunday. This shameful act of brutality comes in the midst of escalating violence, rising unemployment, and the daily struggle of poor communities abandoned by the state.

For too long, working-class communities across the Western Cape have borne the brunt of both state neglect and the terror of gangsterism. Instead of support, our communities are met with police violence and intimidation. This latest incident is an attack not just on Comrade Mike, but on the democratic right of communities to organise themselves for safety, dignity, and justice.

Crime, gang violence, and state failure

The spread of crime and gang violence in communities like Xakabantu is not an accident. It is the direct result of:

• Mass unemployment: Millions of young people in South Africa remain locked out of jobs and opportunities. With no means to earn a livelihood, many are vulnerable to being pulled into criminal networks and gang structures that thrive on desperation.
  
• Lack of youth services: Government after government has failed to provide safe spaces, sports facilities, arts programmes, or meaningful skills training for young people. Communities are left without resources that could channel the energy and creativity of the youth into positive development.
  
• Poor policing: Instead of community-oriented policing, residents are faced with heavy-handed raids, corruption, and indifference. While ordinary people face harassment, the gang bosses, drug dealers, and the architects of organised crime often go untouched.

It is within this context of structural neglect that violence has escalated in our communities, claiming innocent lives.

We condemn the killing of community safety patrollers

We are deeply outraged at the recent killing of three community safety patrollers and the brutal assault on a fourth, who only narrowly escaped death. These patrollers are ordinary members of the community, volunteering their time and risking their lives to protect their neighbours in the absence of effective policing.

Their sacrifice is a testament to the courage and commitment of our communities. When the state fails, it is the people themselves who step forward to ensure safety and solidarity. The murder of these patrollers is not only a crime against individuals but a crime against the collective will of the community to resist violence and build peace.

We demand that justice be done for the slain patrollers and that the safety of community patrols be taken seriously by law enforcement. Instead of criminalising activists and leaders, the state must support and recognise these grassroots safety initiatives.

The assault on Comrade Mike is an unacceptable act of political intimidation. It took place during a raid on his community project and his home, carried out without a search warrant. This was a violation of his rights and an attack on community-led development.

Comrade Mike has been at the forefront of building alternatives to gangsterism in Xakabantu: mobilising unemployed people, organising food sovereignty projects, and helping to create spaces where young people can find hope instead of falling into the trap of drugs and violence.

By targeting him, the police are sending a chilling message: those who challenge the state’s failures will be punished. This is nothing less than state repression against people’s movements.

These scare tactics will not silence us. Instead, we renew our commitment to fighting for justice, dignity, and real solutions to crime and poverty.

Communities like Xakabantu are not passive victims. Despite being starved of resources, they continue to build their own safety networks, food gardens, and youth initiatives. The safety patrols, though under attack, represent an inspiring example of people-led solutions to violence and insecurity.

Instead of criminalising and undermining these initiatives, the state should:

• Provide proper resources and training for community safety patrols.
  
• Address the root causes of crime by creating jobs and investing in youth services.
  
• End the culture of police impunity and build genuine partnerships between communities and policing structures.

We demand:

1. An immediate investigation into the assault on Comrade Mike and the illegal raid on his home and community project.
   
2. Accountability and disciplinary action against the police officers involved in this unlawful attack.
   
3. Justice for the slain community safety patrollers and protection for those who continue to risk their lives in defence of their communities.
   
4. A radical shift in government policy: away from austerity and repression, and toward job creation, youth development, and community safety.
   
5. An end to police harassment of activists and grassroots leaders.

The violence we experience daily in Xakabantu and other townships across South Africa is not inevitable. It is the outcome of political choices that have prioritised austerity, privatisation, and elite enrichment over the basic needs of the people.

The blood of the safety patrollers, the tears of the families, and the bruises on Comrade Mike are not isolated tragedies; they are symbols of a system that has failed the poor and working class.

Cry of the Xcluded and the Back2Work Campaign stands firm, we will not allow our communities to be silenced by gangsters, nor terrorised by the police. We will continue to fight for a South Africa where dignity, safety, and justice are guaranteed not for the few, but for all.