Safer South Africa Foundation awards 100 pupils from Simanyene High School
|Published
A class of 100 pupils from Simanyane High School in Strand awarded for completing a crime prevention programme that is aimed at teaching them about life in jail, courts rulings against juveniles. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - A class of 100 pupils from Grade 8 to Grade 11 at Simanyene High School in Strand were awarded by Safer South Africa Foundation for completing a programme aimed at shaping their lives for the better – all in the belief that no child is born a criminal.
During the course of the programme the students were taken into three different sectors – police stations, courts and jails – just so they can see how the process of justice works and how offenders are treated.
As the CEO of Safer South Africa Foundation, retired General Riah Phiyega said South Africa was a reactive country in terms of dealing with crime – authorities wait for people to commit crime and then the whole system is set alight.
Phiyega said the programme offered a buffet of options for students to choose from.
Children in general should be socialised into positive behaviour and choices about their lives.
“Recognition, appreciation, to say you matter – and our whole thesis is we will do everything to join hands with both parents and school to fight for the lives of these children.
“The future of the nation is in its children, so we had better prepare them so that the input we make into future leadership is a little bit textured and it has something to offer for the future. Children are our heritage and nation building is a collective sport, so all of us have something to do.”
The school’s HOD in science, Nolubabalo Moyake, said it was their first time having such a programme at their school.
When collecting the students they chose 50 of those with bad behaviour, mixing them with 50 of the well-mannered students. Some of the students were already experiencing drug problems, smoking dagga during their school interval.
“Ever since we began this programme, teachers whose learners were not well behaved have given us a good review of how they are slowly changing for the better.”
One of the students, Amnkele Muthemba, said the programme had been helpful to her. Not only did she learn to shy away from crime and not do bad things that can end her life, but she also learnt to be independent.