Alex nursery school learners told bullying is not cool
Alexandra SAPS members bring a simple message to children of the Connie Day Care Centre on Mandela Day; that bullying each other is not cool.
Two members of the Alexandra SAPS took time off from their hectic schedule of hunting and chasing after criminals to spend 67 minutes of Mandela Day with the children of Connie Day Care Centre.
Sergeants Vhudzini Kwinda and Violet Lebea visited the 6th Avenue crèche and spent time with the children talking about their rights and fears on a variety of topics that included bullying, fighting, physical abuse, acts of thieving and sexual abuse and why it was important for them to learn and be educated.
Kwinda started the conversation with the nursery learners by asking them to give her the names of those children that have the propensity to beat others in the creche and the culprits were quickly exposed.
It was at this juncture that Kwinda then politely ‘warned’ the culprits never to beat or bully other children whenever and wherever. She went to the extent of telling the children that if anyone beats or bullies them, she was going to come back and arrest that person.
She then went on to ask them who has ever stolen another child’s pencil and again, the culprits were pointed out and she told the children that stealing other people’s items was a criminal offence and they can be arrested for that.
“I want you to know that stealing is not cool, and so is bullying, beating, and sexually abusing each other. Those who do that need to be arrested and locked away for a very long time,” she said.
She urged the children to learn to relate with the police and report those that abuse them in whatever form either at the crèche or at home. “In Zulu, they say ‘iskhumba sigotshwa sisemanzi’ [teach them while they are still young] and this is the message we want to give to the children today,” she added.
The children played games with the cops and sang various songs to the amusement of the pair of cops, who departed with a simple message that they will be back for the bullies and abusers.
Crèche principal Cindy Khumalo thanked the SAPS members for finding time to visit the creche and said the main message of the day was for the children to learn at a tender age that bullying was not cool, drugs are not cool, fighting and stealing are not cool.
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