ABSTRACT:
Violence and Injury are rife in Cape Town and the Western Cape of South Africa. Cape Town consistently ranks in the top 15 most dangerous cities in the world with a high level of gang violence in low-income communities. The Western Cape Government initiated a Violence Prevention Unit (VPU) managed by the Department of Health and Wellness. The VPU aims to prevent violence through primary, upstream action in an Area-Based approach that delivers long-term, population-level impact. The unit focusses on understanding and strengthening protective factors and exploring mitigation measures for the factors that put people at higher risk to become either victims or perpetrators of violence. The flagship intervention of the VPU is Planet Youth which applies a biennial, anonymised survey process to generate evidence on young people’s lived experiences across domains including family, education, peer influence, community, substance use, wellbeing, leisure, and exposure to violence. In 2025, the VPU surveyed more than 49 000 Grade 8 and 9 learners. Results showed many children have already been sensitized to violence by this age. The collective sensemaking signaled a focus on early adolescents (age 10-14 years) for impact for violence prevention activities. Through an intersectoral approach, the VPU co-ordinates the development of a strategy and an activity network to strengthen protective factors through safe spaces, parental support, nurturing relationships and developing social-emotional skills. In applying a public health approach to violence prevention the VPU is currently unique in the South African setting. The presentation will describe the intersectoral approach, motivation, target, activities and potential impact and measurable outcomes.