A Southern Suburbs family has been left in shock after a gang attack at Canal Walk over the weekend left a 16-year-old boy injured.

A viral video captured the harrowing moment when unidentified suspects launched a flurry of punches at youngsters near the shopping centre's food court.

Indoor malls have been a major refuge for the retail sector as South Africa’s public safety declined over the past 30 years. The emergence of gang violence in Canal Walk, historically one of the safest places to go shopping in the broader Cape Town metro, bodes ill for the success of the retail economy.

The teenager, reportedly attacked for not responding when confronted by the group, was at the mall for a friend's birthday dinner. According to his mother, Nadia Ross, he split from his family to join friends in the food court.

"My son is traumatised, and so are we. How could something like this happen in such a public space? I can't just let this go without raising awareness about the effects of such incidents on our society," Ross said.

The incident occurred just before the mall's closing time. "We received a call around 8:55 pm, informing us that a gang was attacking my son. As a mother, nothing prepares you for something like that, and nothing can ever make an experience like that okay," she added.

The family plans to file a formal complaint with the police. Following Canal Walk's recommendation, they have already visited Maitland SAPS to initiate legal proceedings.

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