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LAVENDER HILL: CHILDREN STAY INDOORS
Shots ring end for play time TAURIQ HASSEN
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TAKING COVER: Lavender Hill children have seen their school holidays hampered by gang violence. PHOTO: NEW WORLD FOUNDATION
ome children will return to school for the third term eager to share how they spent their threeweek break. But for Lavender Hill children theirs will be a different story altogether. Many remain behind closed doors for fear of being harmed by ongoing gang violence spiralling out of control. In the most recent spate of violence, two teenagers were shot and killed. Another two have been critically injured and are fighting for their lives in hospital. Clive Jacobs, a community leader, is saddened to see children being exposed to the violence during a period which is meant to be filled with fun and laughter. “It is really sad to see the children in hiding and there (are no activities) for them in our community because people are scared and fear for their lives,” says a fuming Jacobs. He explains that Youth Day (Sunday June 16) was a sign that Lavender Hill was slowly being forgotten as no organisations had run any projects for the youth in the community. This shortfall in planning activities for the children carried through to the school holidays. Jacobs says the sporadic shootings are to blame for the area being neglected. “Nobody has thought of doing anything for the children and I really do feel sorry for them. I have tried to do things for them, but I obviously cannot do things alone,” Jacobs says. “It really hurts me to see that nobody cares about the children. They did not ask to be in this situation, but yet they are neglected and ignored by the public.” Abdul Igshaan Hermanus is a resident that understands the dangers Lavender Hill poses, but also finds it “disgusting” that the public should ignore the community.
He explains that it is “disheartening” to hear about neighbouring community’s having holiday programmes and events to keep the children busy. “Lavender Hill has nothing,” he says. “How can we build a community if nobody even wants to come into our area? How can we expect our children to remain positive and become educated if nobody else cares? How must our children feel knowing nobody cares about them?” Hermanus hosted a mini-street soccer tournament for the youth. Of his own volition, he randomly urged children to attend and participate. However, he feels this is merely scratching the surface and more is needed. “Yes, coming into our community is a risk, but would you rather risk having an event or risk the chance of that child straying off the path and becoming part of the very thing (gangs) that you fear?” Hermanus asks. Kevin Southgate, chairperson for the Steenberg Community Police Forum (CPF), says the lack of activities for children and skills development programmes are of major concern for the CPF. “We held meetings in the past with the Department of Community Safety about this matter and this was one of the issues which had been raised by people in the community,” he says. Although Southgate applauded the efforts of some organisations currently struggling to make inroads, he remains adamant that help is desperately needed. He says organisations are doing “a sterling job”, but they are unable to sustain their projects due to the lack of funding. “There is nothing happening in our community and our children are suffering. They are being deprived of having a better future,” Southgate says. He now calls on government officials to “help the people of Lavender Hill”.
People’s Post wishes all its Muslim readers and advertisers well over the fast