Cape Town – As the world reels after 19 children were shot dead in America, local children have had to duck and dive under their desks when gangs shoot near their schools.
The Texas shooting marked the US's 27th school shooting this year. There have been 213 known mass shootings in the US in the first 145 days of 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
While the shootings in the US may be linked to the country's more relaxed gun laws, gang shootings are the driving force for those seen near local schools.
According to Everytown research, South Africa comes third in the world for school shootings, and in 18 months, 442 shootings claimed the lives of 1 600 people in the Western Cape alone.
Manenberg and Hanover Park have seen a spike in gang violence. As a result, parents are threatening to stop sending their children to school if the daily shootings do not come to an end.
Although no child has been hurt in the months-long shootings, 14 schools have been affected and two classes have been hit by stray bullets.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the spate of violence in certain communities had an impact on schools.
“Reports of gang shootings in the community are always a concern, not only for safety reasons, but also for the psychological impact on the child and the trauma it can cause.”
She said that the Safe Schools Call Centre received 24 reports from 14 schools in the Hanover Park and Manenberg areas for the period of May 2 to 25.
“Multiple schools confirmed shooting incidents in the vicinity with learners having to take cover under desks as a precaution. Thankfully, at the time of the shooting, learners were still in school, inside their classes, with schools implementing their safety plans and protocols.
“However, two schools reported that bullets penetrated the windows, and another school reported bullets that penetrated their Grade R Prefab building. This could have had more unfortunate outcomes,” Hammond added.
Gangs have been at war over turf and infighting in these two areas for months.
In Hanover Park, an alleged well-known gang leader of Park Kids, Riyaat Jacobs, known as “Yaate”, was murdered in March. The following month, Ghetto Kids’ Esa Manuel, aka Hadjie, was also gunned down while driving with his girlfriend.
The Ghetto Kids have been without a leader since their alleged boss, Faizel “Sheikh” Manuel, died from natural causes last year. The members began wiping each other out as they battled for the top position.
“It is always about turf now, but it goes deeper,” explained a community member. “After their (Ghetto Kids) gang leader passed away, they started wiping each other out with new leaders coming into play, so now they’re just killing each other.
“Before, it was the Ghettos vs Americans, but now, it’s the Ghettos infighting, and at the same time, Ghettos vs Park Kids (mostly druggies and not gangsters), but because they're also selling drugs, they want to wipe them out as well.”
The Ghetto Kids and Park Kids have always lived together. This is the first time in years that they’re fighting.
Pictures of school children lying on their stomachs while gunshots go off have gone viral on social media.
A mother, who asked not to be named, said shootings occurred on a daily basis, especially in the mornings and in broad daylight.
“Children at the school were all so traumatised as they all lay flat. Some parents didn’t send their children to crèche, school and college, fearing for their lives. Now, we are considering keeping children away from the schools.”
Steers Educare had to move to a safer space over a span of two weeks, because the children are traumatised every time they hear gunshots ringing out.
The soccer field next to Blomvlei Road, which once paved a way for children to stay away from gangsterism and drugs, has now become a battlefield for the gangs. Instead of playing sport, children watch as gun-toting gangsters exchange fire.
Hanover Park does not have its own police station. They report to the Philippi police station, and by the time officers arrive, gangs have already gotten away.
Gun Free SA said in its report that a gun-free zone had a positive impact on children. “The learning environment becomes a safer place for learners. No guns mean that both fear and anxiety can be reduced.”
People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) visited the area this week and promised to assist residents in their fight against gangsterism.
“Gangsters think they can terrorise people as well,” said the group’s Zograh Kriel.
“Many SAPS members, sadly, are in the pockets of drug dealers and gangsters. Many times, when the people call us for assistance, we always ask, ‘did you inform the police?’ their response is: ‘we phone and phone, and they just don't come’.
“Pagad then calls the police and asks them if they want us to go or will they go. In no time, the police go.”