KNYSNA NEWS - When one drives through Hornlee on a Saturday afternoon, it is evident that it is a community in trouble.
In the main street one notices children as young as ten standing dazed on street corners and even younger children helping drunk adults across the road. Visit the sports field and one finds alcohol abuse taking place publicly while teenagers puff at tik pipes behind bushes and trees. In the side streets one sees young girls pajamas hanging around in groups with much older boys. On the steps in front of the Hornlee Community Centre, a man who could be someone's grandfather, lies in a drunken stupor as a group of teenagers pass him, in good spirit, on their way to the Hornlee Hotel.
But, on Friday evening, March 21, this community's own children took a stand against the situation when 120 youths gathered to say that enough is enough. At the event, called the Hornlee Youth Dialogue, in the Hornlee Community Hall, children lashed out at the police, teachers and church leaders, alleging that their lack of interest in the youth is leading to an increase in crime and a deterioration in moral values in their community.
The event started with a bit of lightheartedness when the Hornlee Integrated Stakeholder Forum's (HISF) leaders, Councillor Ricky van Aswegen, Pastor Burton Spies and Community Police Forum (CPF) member Donovan Pofadder took to the stage and broke the ice by dancing the Macarena, earning them a standing ovation.
On to serious matters, Van Aswegen told the children and leaders of the different sectors present: "I believe tonight is the beginning of change in Hornlee." He congratulated the HISF for what bringing the youngsters together to unite against crime. "Just to be here tonight is an honour for me."
The programme director and director of the Sinethemba Youth Centre in Khayalethu, Michael Smith, said: "We cant afford to close our eyes and let crime just happen around us. We can't say that crime will not have an influence on our lives. We all live in an era when drugs and crime can touch and hurt our lives." Smith said that whenever the adults march and protest against crime, the children are nowhere to seen. "You have the right to raise your voice and take part in protest action."
A rehabilitated former drug addict and chairperson of the Knysna Alcohol and Drug Centre (KADC), Neilton Roelph, made an impression on young and old warned the children against the dangers of drug abuse. He them of the hell he went through during his five years as a tik addict.
"Choose you friend right. Stick to your church. Drugs are not worth it," Roelph said.
In conversation with the Knysna-Plett Herald, Smith said that the shocking situation in the area motivated community leaders to call the children together in a run-up to Human Rights Day, the next day. Smith said,more than once, he found young learners hiding behind bushes and buildings to smoke tik before school in the mornings.
"They join gangs at the age of 14-years and even younger and girls that age have sex with gangsters in exchange for drugs. It's chaos," he said.
"There is a shortage of visible policing and to make it even worse, the schools don't want to acknowledge the reality of the problem. I recently had to deal with a case where a 14-year-old boy came home with a gun in his possession. That's how big the gangster involvement problem is at that young age."
At the Hornlee Youth Dialogue, the children formed discussion groups to voice their concerns and to suggest possible solutions to the drug and crime problems. The groups were assisted by community leaders representing stakeholders, including the SAPS, CPF, KADC, church leaders, Youth Development officers of Knysna Municipality and the Hornlee Youth Advisory Officer.
• The SAPS must do more about residents in Hornlee who sell Tik;
• Concerns about the lifestyles of SAPS members after work (especially their drinking habits);
• The Department of Education and the SAPs must conduct drug tests at schools on a monthly basis;
• Every school learners must be searched for drugs and weapons every day;
• Some 'Rastafarians' abuse their religion by selling dagga to youths;
• There is a need for a multi-purpose centre in Hornlee, including a youth facility;
• Why are rapists and thieves walking around in the community, even after having been arrested?;
• There is a need for after-school programmes and recreational activities on weekends;
• Teenage pregnancies are concerning;
• There should be mentorship and leadership training, especially for school student councils;
• More relevant parent training programmes should be initiated;
• The community should become more involved in schools;
• Drug awareness programmes must target children from the age of ten years;
• The youth should have ready access to sport facilities, including tennis courts and more available soccer pitches, in Hornlee;
• Not a single Hornlee school has a swimming pool;
• Alleged corruption by police and other officials - they know the drug smugglers, but don't do anything to stop them;
• Parents should participate in programmes like community dialogues;
• Stakeholders must establish support groups for parents who are victims of crime and drug addiction;
• Social workers should become more involved in the community;
• Parents send minors to buy cigarettes and alcohol - why is the law not being enforced?
• 'Oka pipes' are being openly used by youths in Hornlee - they fill it with drugs and dagga, but nobody confiscates it;
• Young girls who dress and behave extremely seductively should reconsider their appearance and the message it gives;
• Unemployed youths loiter and beg at Lamco and often rob shoppers;
• Teachers don't respect the rights of children at school;
• Sporting codes at school are being limited due to a lack of interest from teachers, and
• Churches don't reach out to the community and youths.
Following the group discussions, community leaders responded to the youths' feedback.
Amith said that an action plan will be discussed with all the relevant stakeholders in Hornlee, on the Wednesday, April 15 at 14:00. The plan will then be forwarded to the Knysna Municipal Council.
Sinethemba is a youth rehabilitation centre where Smith and his staff take children from the street and use dedicated programmes to rehabilitate them in an effort to enable them to return to the community as functioning, responsible individuals. Contact Sinethemba at 044 3750 303 or Smith at 082 827 0091.
Roleplayers at the Community Youth Dialogue session held at the Hornlee Community Hall on Friday, March 20 are (from left) Pastor Burton Spies, Freddie Jaftha (CX Caring Angels), Councillor Ricky van Aswegen, Elsie Mashego (CPF Sedgefield), Mary Arnolds (CPF coordinator), Sandy Alexander (CPF), Martie Rooi (CPF Sedgefield), Michael Smith (Sinethemba) and Warrant Officer Adam Jacobs.
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