On Monday, 19 June 2023, the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety (POCS) hosted youth from various high schools in the Delft area as part of its Youth Month Programme.
High School learners from grades 11 and 12 from eight different high schools within the community of Delft attended the event. These schools included Delft Technical High School, Rosendal High School, Voorbrug S.S.S, Delft High School, Simunye High School, Curro High Delft, Leiden High School and the Hague High school.
The programme focused on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and dealing with personal trauma in order to bring hope to youth that have been victims of physical or sexual violence.
The event took place at the Delft Civic Centre and included motivational and guest speakers including Mr. Reginald Maart, Community Police Forum Chairperson, Ms. Michelle Adonis, Ward Councilor for the Delft area and Ms Christina Nomdo, Commissioner for Children in the Western Cape. Other organisations which formed part of the programme included Love Life, South African Police Service, Justice Desk Africa and Gun Free SA.
Minister Reagen Allen said: “The earlier we can engage our young people on a variety of matters that plague our community, the more we would be able to influence them to make the right and positive choices in life. Every day, our youth are confronted with various and difficult matters, and they are expected to make certain decisions. We must find regular opportunities to empower our young people, in order to ensure that they do not fall victim to lives of gangsterism, crime or becoming abusers themselves.”
Minister Reagen Allen added: “Regrettably Delft, like so many other communities across the Cape Flats and the province are known for all the wrong reasons. Through and with our youth, we want to change the narrative. I urge parents, family members, friends and the communities at large to embrace and encourage our youth, so that they may be free to soar in life.”
The POCS continues in its mission to reach youth residents in the province through targeted interventions and strategic partnerships in communities and to partner with South African Police Services, Municipalities, Community Policing Forums, Neighbourhood Watches and Organisations to create a safer society FOR YOU.
z-boy
Fun South African Fact: The oldest remains of modern humans were found in South Africa and are well over 160,000 years old.
Frenzy
Fun South African Fact: SA has three capital cities: Pretoria is the Executive Capital, Cape Town the Legislative Capital and Bloemfontein the judicial Capital.