The Americans

The Americans gang is a large street gang and organized crime group based in Cape Flats area of Cape Town.Like the Hard Livings gang, many smaller gangs throughout the Cape Flats owe allegiance to it. It is the largest of the street gangs in Cape Town. The Americans were founded by Jackie Lonte in Belgravia Estate, Athlone who was assassinated in the late 1990s.Their activities range from drug running and trading, poaching, abalone poaching, protection rackets and prostitution to more legitimate business operations. They are active in most coloured communities of the Cape Flats. The Americans gang is different from, although related to, other Cape Flats gangs that also use the "American" name such as the Young Americans and Ugly Americans.