Thandiwe Wa Bantu shines light on bullying
Thandiwe Wa Bantu will showcase at the Sibikwa Arts Centre in Benoni from October 12 to October 14 from 10:00 to 14:00 each day.
It is a contemporary issue-based play that seeks to create awareness and explore the realities of bullying taking place in our schools and communities.
Tickets cost R40 per person and all are welcome.
For bookings, contact Vumile Qupe via WhatApp on 079 706 2394 or via email at projects@sibikwa.co.za
Bullying in South Africa
Bullying is a heart-rending ordeal that many learners face in life and at school. It is difficult to deduce bullying to one singular definition – layered with a multitude of nuanced subjectivities and factual opinions that often see victims unable to speak out.
Research shows that as many as 58% of learners across South Africa have been victims of bullying at some point in their schooling; and according to HJW Attorneys, 160 000 high school learners miss school every day to avoid being bullied.
Recently, this issue of bullying has resurfaced in South African public discourse through incidents, such as the case of Lufuno Mavhunga, a 15-year-old girl from Limpopo, who committed suicide as a result of being bullied.
It is in light of this that Sibikwa, a multi-disciplinary arts centre that has contributed to the socio-economic fabric of South Africa for over 34 years, will be presenting Thandiwe Wa Bantu.
More about Thandiwe Wa Bantu
Through the use of modern popular cultures, such as hip hop, street dance, beatboxing and various elements of innovative presentation, Thandiwe Wa Bantu presents this hard-hitting issue in a way that is both accessible and appealing to young audiences.
The Thandiwe Wa Bantu story centres around a 17-year-old girl who is in Grade 11, and, due to financial circumstances at home, is pushed to move from a private school to a public school.
This leaves her vulnerable in her new environment, where her schoolmates make many derogatory statements toward her, such as “you are too dark-skinned (mnyamane)”, “you think you are better”, “you are a coconut”.
The target audience for this play are learners between the ages of 13 and 18 (Grades Seven to 12) who are directly and indirectly affected by the issue and who comprise victims, instigators and witnesses.
The play seeks to hold accountable parents, teachers, school governing bodies (SGBs) and the community at large who are charged with ensuring the safety of all children in schools and at home.
Thandiwe Wa Bantu was created and directed by Smal Ndaba and Phyllis Klotz within their capacity as consultants and experts in employing applied and participatory theatre techniques for engagement, reflection, dialogue and transformation in young marginalised people.
