Law enforcement agencies in Lebowakgomo will not tolerate the emergence of local high schools-based gangsters who threaten the lives of learners and could become harmful to the education of learners.
This was stated in no uncertain terms by Lebowakgomo police spokesperson, Insp Manong Tshehla, during an interview recently.
Some of the gangs already identified by the police and school authorities go by names such as Izo Izo, Black Shit, 50 Niggers, Iraq and Masenyapha.
The principals of S J van Merwe Technical High School and Derek Kobe High School say they have been experiencing certain behavioural problems with some learners at their schools but after being identified by their schoolmates were immediately rebuked for their unbecoming behaviour.
Tshehla says the modus operandi is that often learners (aged 15 to 19) who are involved in gangster activities will throw parties in homes where the owners are not present.
“These learners will save their transport fares by hitching lifts to and from their schools and after accumulating enough money, they pool it together to buy braai meat and beers for a weekend party.”
After a braai and drinking binge, many learners will then share rooms, and apparently sleeping partners, too.
These learners often group themselves in gangs based on their common residential areas such as zones A, B or F.
Any gang that feels itself more powerful than another will go and raid the party of that gang in order to seize beers and braai meat.
Tshehla says only one serious incident took place last month when a member of a Lebowakgomo Zone A- based gang was admitted to the local hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) after being stabbed with a sharp instrument by a Lebowakgomo Zone F rival in a revenge mission.
The S J van der Merwe Technical High School principal, Mr S Phatudi said: “We don’t condone such criminal behaviour by our learners, and if we find out who they are, we invite their parents to the school in order to discuss such problems with them.
We have also realised that some of these groups are merely engaged in recreational activities such as dancing and not crime.” Phatudi advises learners to focus on their education in order to have a bright future. “Study instead of engaging yourselves in drunken parties, or even sleeping around.”
Derek Kobe High School principal, Mr B J Bopape said: “We have identified certain learners who were involved in gang-related activities.
Their parents were invited to the police station together with their children in order to discuss their problems and now it seems the situation is better.” - John Phadu