Plans to address school bullies

Plans to address school bullies

COMMUNITY workers in Mitchells Plan have teamed up with local artist Ashwin Martin for an anti-bully campaign aimed at addressing racial tensions and drug sales on Cape Flats schools.

Community worker Byron De Villiers said the project started at a school in Lentegeur and over the next week will be run at 
various schools.

De Villiers says: “As the Tapout Foundation we were looking at all the problems at local schools in recent weeks.

“The plan for an anti-bully campaign came from a visit to West End Primary School in Lentegeur where we went to hand a pair of shoes to a little girl in need.

“The children love Ashwin and despite their teachers’ best attempts to settle them down they did not listen until he spoke.

“We then asked him to speak to them about discipline and we were amazed at how well they received the message. So we asked him to partner and will be visiting local schools soon.”

De Villiers says the recent violent clashes at Bridgetown High School are just the tip of the iceberg when analysing the behavioural problems affecting local schools, explaining: “It is not just at Bridgetown, this problems of racial tensions between coloured and black learners exists at many schools.

“We have found that at the root of the problem is the sale of dagga on the school grounds and now they are embroiled in turf fights over who can sell where.

“These fights have escalated to a very dangerous level. 

“Ashwin made a TikTok video about the campaign and immediately we were contacted by parents and the management of various schools who said they had a problem.”

The team will be heading to Strandfontein High School and Alpine Primary School over the next week to roll out the campaign and are calling on help.

De Villiers adds: “We are calling on community leaders to come forward and assist us with their skills. The schools are in a 
difficult position and we can make a difference...”

If you would like to help call De Villiers on 071 449 5496.

ACTIVE: The team during a visit to West End Primary School

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Ashwin Martin and Byron De Villiers