Western Cape Police Commissioner Mzwandile Petros has appealed for calm as authorities try to reign in gang violence.

Over the past three months there have been over 40 gang-related shootings in the province.

Police are now stepping up efforts in an attempt to stabilise the situation.

Manenberg Police Station Commissioner Gerrit Niewoudt added his voice of assurance to those of eight other police chiefs from areas identified as gang hot-spots.

But with shootings an almost daily occurrence, many communities are going to need more than words of consolation.

Petros emphasised the situation is being dealt with aggressively.

"I don't think there is any gang that is harmless and so we as law enforcement see you as a danger to society," he said, referring to the province's gangsters.

Since April this year, about 5000 people have been arrested across the Peninsula in connection with gang violence and drug dealing.

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