IN THIS Youth Month, June 2012, the youth of South Africa in particular and our people in general are commemorating the tragedy of June 16 1976.

The majority of the youth are commemorating the deaths of many young people who perished under the apartheid onslaught that was inflicted on black children when young people were peacefully protesting against the unjust laws of the apartheid regime.

While South Africans are commemorating 36 years of the June 16 uprising and 100 years of the existence of the ANC, the people of Gugulethu are also celebrating and commemorating 53 years of the existence of this township and community.

Whereas the people of Gugulethu should be celebrating its 53 years of its existence and by the same token celebrating its heroes and heroines like political and community leader Tat'uChristmas Thinto, Reverend Tat'uQabazi, Businessman Tat'uVokwana, Detective Tat'uMbele, Fulani and Nurse Gagu to name a few; and many more outstanding personalities who have been produced by this community and contributed immensely to the socioeconomic development of Gugulethu.

The township's community is now being tormented by warring gang factions that continue to torment members of this community.

Gugulethu is under siege. Moreover, research has found that the growth in gang membership is a result of an ineffective and inefficient education system.

However, the research concludes that most of these teenagers' major interests are in sport, the arts, culture and recreation. Thus, education is at the bottom of their priorities.

I have instructed my office to work together with the Gugulethu community to use sport and recreation as a vehicle to build peace and development. I have also instructed them to work with the youth of Gugulethu to use sport and recreation as an instrument against gangsterism, substance abuse and crime. I told them that they must work with this community to use sport as a weapon in the war against criminality and delinquency.

I have mandated them to use everything at their disposal to combat truancy, teenage pregnancy and other social ills in the township. I have commanded them to develop a three- to five-year strategy for a holistic and integrated youth development programme aimed at discouraging the youth from this ill behaviour.

Looking at this category of youth, I have instructed them to use "restorative justice" mechanisms to deal with this challenge. They should employ conflict resolution strategies, using sport, art, culture and recreation to allow these youngsters to reflect on their wrongdoings and develop a coherent programme for the youth to unite and revitalise their community. These young people have been convinced that through sport and peace initiatives there is space for them to be integrated back into society.

Our government and the ANC as caring organisations and leaders of society should take on the responsibility of making peace among our people, whether gangsters or not. If the ANC and our people could swallow their pride and make peace with a brutal white minority regime that butchered our people around the country, why should we be sceptical about our ability to destroy gangsterism and criminality?

This week I am going to Gugulethu with my team to work with local community organisations to help build a lasting peace. I invite my Cabinet colleagues and government departments to help turn Gugulethu around.

• Mbalula is Minister of Sport and Recreation