A MEETING between CPF Mondeor and Mondeor SAPS Social Crime Prevention resulted in principals of some of the schools in the South discussing the way forward after the untimely death of a Mondeor High School learner.
Michelle Pelser (chair of CPF Mondeor) and Elizabeth Mnguni (Mondeor SAPS Social Crime Prevention) met with the CHRONICLE on March 19, saying they need assistance from parents, businesses in the area, school transport organisations, security companies, community members, JMPD, SAPS and CPF members.
“The death of 19-year-old Kulani Mathebula was devastating and in light of this we need the whole community to come on board and work together,” said Pelser and Mnguni.
“We are asking parents, from a safety point of view, to assist us in keeping their children safe while they are out of their home. You need to be constantly aware of where your children are and who they are with. We suggest you sometimes ask your child if you can search his/her school bag. We are not suggesting all children carry implements which could harm another, but some do. The same with drugs. We know many youngsters use drugs and take them to school to sell. SAPS undertakes unscheduled searches at schools and often harmful implements which could do damage to other learners and drugs are found. We need your help to keep your child safe.”
Drop off, pick up at school
School transport drivers are asked to make sure they drop off school learners at their respective schools and pick them up there, taking them home again.
“Please don’t drop them off at a shop or at another place, their parents are expecting you to take them to school and back.”
An appeal is going out to business owners to please not serve children in uniform during school hours.
“We are asking the community if you happen to see learners in the street during school hours to try and take a photo with your cellphone and then to WhatsApp it to me on 084 292 9144,” added Pelser. “The school uniform they’ll be wearing will assist us in contacting the correct school and they can immediately be contacted and the photo sent on to them. This could save a child’s life.
“Security companies can play a big part in assisting us. Their vehicles are always on the roads and the drivers can contact us if they see anything untoward or a learner roaming the streets.”
Mondeor SAPS Social Crime Prevention has been visiting local schools with an awareness and safety campaign and will be carrying on doing so in the future.
“Social media can be dangerous and damaging. If your child has a cellphone and you see him/her always on it, ask why? It’s more likely than not innocent fun, but some members of our society prey on children and find out information from them via their cellphone. Just be more aware of what they are doing,” they said.
“Together we can begin to keep children safe, keep them off the streets and keep them aware of dangers in and around their suburbs,” added Pelser and Mnguni.
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