Cape Town - After a community was left reeling in shock following the violent death of a teenager, one resident has decided to channel the grief towards creating a wall to honour all youth who have fallen victim to gang violence, rape and other crimes.
The community in Atlantis, a town along the west coast just outside Cape Town, is mourning the death of 16-year-old Jordan Moore who in the company of two friends was allegedly confronted by two men in Robinvale on November 6.
The men allegedly forced the trio to buy them liquor at a local shebeen. The other two youngsters managed to flee and seek help, but Moore was unable to escape. The men reportedly abducted and stabbed Moore before letting their dog maul him to death.
Six people have since been charged with the Grade 10 Robinvale High School pupil’s death.
Carl Erasmus, aged 46, from Sherwood Park says as a father of three himself, the death of Moore hit him hard.
“I also have a son and this could have happened to my child. The way he died, I mean, no child deserves to die like that,” Erasmus told the African News Agency (ANA).
“It was when someone asked me to do a banner for him that myself and another guy decided to do a mural.”
In three days, and at his own cost, Erasmus has managed to paint a wall of remembrance featuring Moore’s face and the words ’Justice for Jordan’ along Charel Uys Drive in the area.
“I did it in between completing other tasks I had to do otherwise it would have taken a day,” he told ANA.
“We were approached by many other parents who also lost children due to gang violence and (other) crime and therefore this wall is not just for Jordan but for all our youth and soon three more walls will beautify Atlantis in areas such as Protea Park, Robinvale and Saxon Sea by the end of this month.”
Erasmus has managed to rope in children from the community to assist in the murals and has offered them training. He hopes other people can support this programme.
“The aim is to train about 10 children in the community who can assist with the murals and involve parents and families who lost children to beautify this space,” he said, adding that he believes these walls of remembrance will positively impact the community.
“I think the remembrance walls will... bring comfort to not only parents but all relatives to know everyone remembers their child,” Erasmus added.
African News Agency (ANA)