Picture: North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi visiting John Frylinck Secondary School in Huhudi Township, near Vryburg/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
Learners at John Frylinck Secondary School in Huhudi Township, near Vryburg, believe that the intervention from the North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi will assist in resolving gangsterism at their school. Motsumi visited the school on Monday after it was shut down due to gang-related matters.
One of the learners who refused to be named for fear of reprisal said: “Teachers and learners continue to be under siege due to gang-related matters. Gangsters are running amok at the school and everyone is afraid of them.
“Last week, the school was closed for two days due to gang-related matters. As learners were afraid to attend due to the violence that took place. Some learners came armed with knives and axes as weapons. However, we hope Motsumi’s visit will assist in resolving the matter.”
Another learner shared the same sentiments. She said, there is lawlessness at the school.
“We hardly concentrate on our school work. Now, we are afraid that we might fail because teaching and learning have been severely affected. Teachers are also afraid of the gangsters as they come to school with weapons.
“We urge the police to patrol our school often and ensure that they curb any wrongdoings. As female learners, we do not feel safe anymore because anything can happen to us,” she said.
The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said: “We have visited the school to nip the surge of gangsterism in the bud as allegations of gang violence swell. On Friday, the department received reports of school not running for two days due to learners carrying dangerous weapons to school with the intention to cause gang-related crimes.
“So, we strongly condemn this barbaric act. We will not be bullied by learners in schools. No teacher or learner should be frightened of coming to school because of certain learners, who want to carry their wayward behaviour toward others. The democracy we have is to be enjoyed by all and remember, no one is above the law.”
Motsumi further said she has adopted the school because it needs proper support to be at a level that is admirable. She added that they have roped in our external stakeholders like the South African Police Services (SAPS), ward councillors, and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to adopt and frequent this school
“Random Search and seizure will be the order of the day and gang leaders using our children should be brought to book. We encourage cooperation among school management and avoid any division as it will impact teaching and learning,” said Motsumi.
According to www.sicelo.org.za website, youth gang violence (YGV) is on the rise in South Africa and the situation seems to have led to increased fears about safety and security in and around schools
“The increasing number of high school learners getting involved in gang activities raises a major concern regarding the impact of their involvement on their educational attainment and/or lives in general. The objectives of the study included exploring the participants’ schooling background, their motivation for joining the gangs, the benefits, if any, of gang membership; the regrets, if any, for involvement in gangs; their future intentions regarding their involvement in YGV; and the role of the community in relation to YGV.
“The article presents, firstly, the theoretical framework that underpinned the study, followed by a discussion on the literature review. This is followed by a summary of the methodology of the study and presentation of the participants’ profiles and a detailed discussion of the research data. The article is concluded with a summary of the key findings and the main recommendations of the study.”
The Guardian 