Batting against bullets
Alex youth campaign for their security.
Alex youth are campaigning for their security which is threatened by the proliferation of deadly weapons in the township.
The initiative, in partnership with the police and NPOs Gun Free South Africa, Radio Foundation, Adapt and Lifeline, comes after Minister of Police Beki Cele’s recent announcement of statistics on unrelenting crime in the country.
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This is in addition to a revelation by Gun Free South Africa that the country ranks fourth on the list of the 10 most violent and murderous countries globally. Drawing from the statistics, the NPO said 56 people were killed violently daily with 42 per cent of them dying from gunshots, and 50 to 60 per cent of the perpetrators and victims being the youth.
Alerted by these horrific statistics, the partnership initiated a research, sport and media-based publicity campaign to encourage attitudinal change to the scourge.
Campaign organiser Mary-Ann Nobele said the research revealed gangsterism as the root cause of gun violence. “It derives from peer pressure when the youth have nothing else to do but hang about on the streets where they are open to all sorts of negative influences,” she said.
“We use sports, including the least-played like cricket, to get them involved in the campaign while also popularising it and exposing their talents,” Nobele added during a game at the Alex Cricket Oval.
She said the mindset on wanton gun use would only change when shocking and deadly details on the dangers of using weapons were revealed.
Adele Kirsten of Gun Free South Africa said the initiative which had been running for a year, informs the youth of these dangers through questionnaires and peer to peer dialogue, and motivates them to canvass for safe recreational spaces such as sports grounds and parks. “Participants will also submit a petition to the South African Police Service to ensure schools are gun-free zones and lobby parliament for new laws on gun control,” she added.
