Alexandra Police’s Social Crime units are looking to engage more strategic partners to enhance their anti-crime campaign in schools.
The unit’s head, Warrant Officer Mbazima Sambo said the strategy will also improve police visibility, friendliness with the community, enhance crime reporting and law abidance.
Their recent outreach to schools drew in Alex-born and educated actor Lungelo Madondo (23) who plays the drug addict, Amandla, in the SABC soapie Uzalo. The character eventually dies from addiction and lack of support from her dysfunctional family.
Sambo said the objective was to apply peer pressure and other strategies in a positive way to send home messages that crime doesn’t pay; which will hopefully reduce the negative influences and children dropping out of school.
Alexandra Police also hope this will stop children engaging in drugs and protect them from vulnerability to unwanted pregnancies.
Madondo said Amandla characterised child neglect and lack of parental love and support required to do well in school and feel secure from external negative influences. She said many pupils at Realogile, Eastbank, KwaBhekilanga and Alex High schools she visited identified with the conduct of the character because they were from broken, dysfunctional, child- and granny-headed households and struggled with poverty throughout their lives.
“This leads them into crime, teenage pregnancies, substance abuse and dropping out of school to survive in a vicious and hostile environment,” she said.
Madondo hoped that her background and familiarity with their circumstances would open them to her message, inspire them to want to achieve through education, be positive role models to other children and help improve conditions in Alex.
Acting principal at Realogile Secondary School, Edward Makasana applauded Madondo for encouraging the children and showing them that anything was possible with determination and commitment to education. “She is proof that you can achieve anything if you focus on your dream, have a good attitude and respect your teachers and parents,” Makasana stated.
NPO Kids Clinic, based at the police station and which supports abused children and families, also contributed to the event.
Social Worker Tsholofelo Moseto informed pupils of the many cases of reported rape. “We are very concerned of the rapes, many of which go unreported. Most of them result from moving around at night when you should be home and studying,” Moseto warned.
She said those who reported rapes also presented some form of physical and psychological abuse resulting in compounded trauma which required counselling and loss of school time. “Learn to care for yourselves, always make the rights decisions to avoid ruining your lives and your future,” she concluded.
