Duncan Village school pupils were brought together for an anti-gangsterism campaign on Friday. This after it was found that schools in the area are struggling with the emergence of a gang culture and underage substance abuse. A Dispatch article last year reported the issue of growing gang culture in Duncan Village and surrounding areas, with schools finding it hard to handle school gangs without outside intervention.
This led to communities taking a more hands-on approach in ensuring children are in healthy schooling environments, such as Friday’s anti-gangsterism campaign. Security company owner Man B Tyekana organised the campaign with other key stakeholders including the police, community safety forums, and representatives from the department of education. Police spokesperson Hazel Mqala spoke to the school pupils about the dangers of drugs and substance abuse.
Mqala also spoke on how it was important for the community to work hand-in-hand with the police to ensure children were provided with the correct tools and guidance to keep them away from lives of drugs and crime. “We have partnered with these NGOs to say no to drugs, to the community and to the pupils,” Mqala said. “There is a saying that you have to teach the children while they are still young so that when they grow up they know what to do and what not to do, that is why we are here.
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“This is not only for the learners but the public as well, but we are not here because there is a big issue here [Sinovuyo] but the issue is all across. “The more you talk to a person, the more they will grasp what you are saying, we want such initiatives to carry on,” she said. Pupils attending the campaign came from Ebenezer Majombozi, Kusile and Sinovuyo high schools, with a few local primary schools also in attendance.
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