INTRODUCTION:
Violence in socially disorganized communities is often driven by weak social cohesion, limited solidarity, and reduced informal social control. In Khayelitsha Eastern Substructure, these challenges have resulted in barriers to community safety and stability.

METHODS:
The Violence Prevention Unit (VPU), established in 2023 under the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, applies a public health approach to violence prevention. Using an Area-Based approach (ABTs) and Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC), the VPU convenes government, civil society, and local stakeholders. Data from the Department of Health and Wellness, South African Police Service, and Department of Social Development were triangulated to establish baseline social drivers of violence and priority areas for intervention.

RESULTS:
Stakeholder engagements with Community Police Forums, the Men’s Sector, neighborhood structures, and government departments highlighted the importance of shared responsibility in preventing, reducing, and responding to violence. Interventions focused on capacitating Community Police Forums, Neighborhood Watch structures, and SAPS to strengthen protective community mechanisms and enhance protective factors.

CONCLUSIONS:
The initiative demonstrates that applying Whole-of-Society and Whole-of-Government approaches can restore trust, rebuild social cohesion, and empower communities with agency to identify risks, receive interventions, and advocate for resources. This collaborative, evidence informed model offers a contextual framework for sustaining violence prevention and strengthening protective factors in high-risk community.