Violence in Hanover Park takes its toll on kids – social workers

CHILDREN in Hanover Park are suffering from post traumatic stress because of ongoing gang violence.

Social workers from the area have raised concerns as 5-year-old Ashline Telmarks recovers in hospital after being injured in the spine by a stray bullet while playing near her home this week.

A social auxiliary worker for the Community Action towards a Safer Environment (Case), which offers support services to the community, said the violence in the area had not stopped since before Christmas.

Mentor who works in schools and lives in the area, said the violence had an adverse effect on the children and their learning patterns. “They don’t know where it’s safe to walk. These children hear a fire cracker and it affects them. Children can’t focus in school as there is so much fear in them.”

She was concerned about the number of children who drop out of school as a result of the trauma. Then there were those who had become desensitised to the violence.

“When gunshots are fired they run towards the violence instead of away from it.”

She said places which were supposed to be safe for children to play had become gangster haunts. “Children need to play in open spaces. We have nice parks, but gangsters use those spaces.”

She said gangs used those spaces to recruit children. Parents needed to be vigilant of where their children were and what they were doing. “Innocent children are getting hurt.”

The elderly were also affected by the violence. “ They don’t want to come out of their houses.”

She said she had not seen any improvement in Hanover Park, but said they lived in hope.

Another Case worker, Fatima Hill, who runs the literacy and faith programme for the organisation, said as an adult, the shootings in Hanover Park were frightening. “For children it is even worse”.

“The children can’t focus, but we try to get the child’s mind away from the violence.

“It is frightening”, she said, “that children are dropping out of school at primary school level because they are unable to cope with the trauma of gang violence. “The road to gangsterism starts at a young age. Children are aware of things they shouldn’t do.”

There had been projects in Hanover Park, which were geared to curbing the gang violence in the community.

One such project was Operation Ceasefire, which was initiated by the City of Cape Town.

Richard Bosman, the executive director for safety and security in the city, said Operation Ceasefire was ongoing and their pilot projects showed it works.

“The city has implemented the programme since January 2013, based on the Cure Violence model that originated in the US. The objective of this project is to reduce the number of gang-related shootings and killings, raise awareness, and promote public education regarding viable, realistic alternatives to violence.”