Two Western Cape towns bridge the poverty and race divide

This case study describes a community dialogue initiative established in 2021 between the towns of Hoekwil and Touwsranten in the Western Cape, South Africa. Facilitated by the Institute for Security Studies, the initiative aimed to bridge racial and class divides to address shared safety concerns and economic instability.

• In 2021, the towns of Hoekwil and Touwsranten established a regular community dialogue to address crime, feelings of unsafety, and the need for prosperity. This platform was convened by the Institute for Security Studies and included community representatives, the Ratepayers Association, a local NGO, and the South African Police Service.
• The dialogue identified a lack of interaction between the two communities and a need for income-generating opportunities. To address these, participants created the Touwswil Market, where residents sell food and crafts, socialise, and enable a local NGO to raise funds.
• The initiative has led to tangible improvements in safety and infrastructure, including the maintenance of a path between the towns that was previously a robbery hotspot. It has also helped resolve service delivery issues regarding rubbish collection and the lack of toilets for families in informal housing, while improving trust between the community and the police.
• The dialogue is currently developing an outdoor gym for youth, based on research by the Icelandic organisation Planet Youth. This research, involving Grade 8 learners from 18 local high schools, indicated that a lack of healthy recreational activities and community connection increases the likelihood of risky behaviours like smoking and drinking.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2024). Two Western Cape towns bridge the poverty and race divide. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/two-western-cape-towns-bridge-the-poverty-and-race-divide

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Two Western Cape towns bridge the poverty and race divide. 2024. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/two-western-cape-towns-bridge-the-poverty-and-race-divide.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Two Western Cape towns bridge the poverty and race divide |date=4 September 2024 |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/two-western-cape-towns-bridge-the-poverty-and-race-divide |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2024two, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Two Western Cape towns bridge the poverty and race divide}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/two-western-cape-towns-bridge-the-poverty-and-race-divide}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }