SEDIBENG – The visit by the department together with different law enforcement agencies including South African Police Services, Community Safety, Correctional Services and Sedibeng Initiation Committee was to give awareness on the negative effects of bullying and gangsterism.
The buildup was as a result of an upcoming National Anti-gangsterism and Bullying Programme which will be held on 28 of October at Emerald in Vanderbijlpark, where ring leaders affiliated with gangs in the above-mentioned schools will be invited to attend together with their parents for intensified sessions.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Nomfundo Kamolane, Social Work Manager responsible for social crime prevention and gender-based violence programs outlined the importance of the campaign.
“We saw it fit to have a buildup because we are going to host a bigger event where we will be working together to intensify the programme with our National and Provincial offices.
“The purpose is to educate parents and pupils about the negative effects of bullying and gangsterism. Schools are faced with bullying which is as a result of illegal initiation schools because may pupils after coming initiation they affiliated in gangs and they extend what they learnt to the schools,” she said.
Nomfundo said not all the pupils bullying others in schools are from initiation schools.
“Some of the bullies are not from initiation but because of what they have experienced be it at home, schools or the communities they live in, they are taking it onto other pupils,” she added.
Giving her reaction on the buildup, Nomfundo said they are happy with the feedback they received.
“We managed to get the gist of the problems the schools are facing and because of that reason, this programme will not only end after the big event. We will be continuing it and take it to many other schools,” she said.
“We got what we needed, and we will be going back and map out a way forward. We are going to mentor these schools for a year,” she said.
The six secondary schools included Botebo Tsebo, Sizanani, Thuto Tiro, Tsolo, General Smuts and Moshate.
