Rise of Fancy Boys gang territory fuelled by disgruntled foot soldiers

In March, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime released its quarterly Western Cape Gang Monitor report. Lester Kiewit speaks to Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, Senior Expert Global Initiative against transnational organised crime, on the report's findings. 

A report on gang dynamics in the Western Cape has revealed how dissatisfaction among foot soldiers of some of the area's biggest gangs is leading to unprecedented rates of fragmentation.

In March, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime released its quarterly Western Cape Gang Monitor report. 

The monitor draws on information provided by researchers working in gang-affected communities of the Western Cape including interviews with current and former gang members.

According to gang members, a contributing factor to the increasing fragmentation rate is that rank-and-file members are becoming disgruntled with hierarchical governance structures.

"Senior gang members often hoard the profits of criminal activity and live extravagant lifestyles, while junior gang members are thrown the ‘scraps’," says researcher, Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane.

This inevitably leads to power struggles as lower-level members form factions to contest gang bosses.

She adds that the Fancy Boys have capitalised on this fragmentation to support an aggressive expansion campaign since early 2022.

"They've gone on a massive recruitment drive...and we're seeing them strengthen their hand in areas like Mannenberg, Westbank, Woodstock, parts of Mitchells Plain, Ocean View...and that is quite unprecedented."

Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, Researcher - Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime

"What we've seen is some of the older, more established gangs like the Hard Livings and the 28s actually bandying together to deal with the expansion of the Fancy Boys into areas like Mannenberg."

Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, Researcher - Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime

The report suggests that the recent prosecution of alleged gang bosses Nafiz Modack and Ralph Stanfield may prove to be a promising step in a sustained and consistent strategy against organised crime figures in South Africa.

"If you look at the Modack and the Stanfield cases, they are possibly some of the strongest cases that we've seen in the prosecution of gangs that we've seen for some time. Both have been denied bail...but that isnt to say they can't run gang operations from prison."

Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, Researcher - Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

But while significant, two arrests are not enough, says Irish-Qhobosheane.

"I think it needs to be accompanied by similar strategies targetting both other senior gang members as well as some of the other senior echelons in gangs if we're going to see this having any serious impact."

Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, Researcher - Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

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