Constable slaps learner during campaign

GEORGE NEWS - A presentation by the provincial police Youth Crime Prevention Unit at a local school turned ugly this week when a possible misunderstanding of the words "ndiyakufuna" and "ndiyafuna" led to a female police constable giving a learner a backhand blow.

On Tuesday 19 September members of the unit, together with the Thembalethu Police Youth Desk, held an outreach programme at Thembalethu High School with grade 8 and 9 learners.

In her talk, a female constable asked the learners if they wanted to join the outreach programmes that they offer.

When she could not hear the reply of one of the boys, she went up to him and spoke to him, after which she took him by the hand to the front of the class and said that he had said "ndiyakufuna" ('I want you').

The learner replied, "No I did not say that, I said 'Ndiyafuna' ('I want to'), upon which the constable slapped the learner.

Thembalethu Police communications officer Capt Dumile Gwavu, who was present when the incident occurred, said: "We do not condone any disrespect to the police in any manner or by anyone, including learners, but we as the police also do not condone any violence from the police towards anybody.

Delegates at the Crime Intervention outreach at Thembalethu High, from left: Const Thembakazi Jacobs (provincial coordinator of the Youth Crime Prevention Unit), Khonzeka Dywili (Thembalethu Police Youth Desk chairperson), Const Muriel Dimakatso Maluleke (provincial coordinator of the Youth Crime Prevention Unit), Const Ndumiso Makinan (Thembalethu Police Station Sector 2 manager) and Capt Dumile Gwavu (Thembalethu Police communications officer).

We want learners to feel safe at school, as well as outside of the school. We go to schools to empower, pass on knowledge and teach the learners about programmes they can partake in to make sure that they stay away from crime, and improve their lives.

Any action going forward (regarding this incident) will be up to the learner and the school, but the police will also deal with the matter internally in terms of disciplinary action towards the constable."

The George Herald journalist and several learners witnessed the incident.

According to Gwavu, the Youth Crime Prevention Unit's visit came after 29 learners from Imizamo Yethu Secondary School had allegedly been suspended for three days in August due to a violence related altercation.

"The unit has come to intervene and talk with the youth so that they can become involved in different projects which will take them away from crime," said Gwavu.

The unit was scheduled to visit Imizamo Yethu yesterday, Wednesday 20 September.

Youth Crime Prevention Unit
The provincial coordinator of the Youth Crime Prevention Unit, Const Thembakazi Jacobs, said in an interview they want police station Youth Desks to involve the youth in crime intervention projects.

"We want engage in dialogue with the youth and try to get their thoughts off crime and everything that is happening and affecting their lives.

"The Youth Desk is about developing and empowering the youth and partnering them with the police. We want to work with them and give them the responsibility and knowledge of crime prevention, about what it means to them as the youth, as well as to their communities."

Grade 8 learners of Thembalethu High School listen to the provincial coordinator of the Youth Crime Prevention Unit, Const Thembakazi Jacobs.

She said the Youth Crime Prevention Unit strives to instil a spirit of patriotism by encouraging visible and active participation of communities in crime prevention programmes.

In this way, they wish to eradicate crime through social prevention, to address the threats of drugs, gangsterism and crimes against women and children.

The unit also strives to mobilise community structures to work together with government and the police to create a safe and secure environment.