Job opportunity postponed

About 100 unemployed people were disappointed after the launch of their opportunity to be safety officers at Mitchell’s Plain high risk schools was postponed.

Half of them stood at the gates of AZ Berman High School, in Tafelsig, where they expected to meet MEC Police Oversight And Community Safety Anroux Marais and handover an interval safety programme yesterday Tuesday July 30.

Pastor Colin Lewis, founder of People Helping People (PHP) Job Creation, had collected participants names, contact details and given them basic security and first aid training.

“I had been in contact with the principal since May and were ready to receive bibs from the minister and give her our business plan,” he said.

On Monday July 29 after 6pm the Metro South Education District office sent an email to Mr Lewis stating that the event was “spiralling out of control” with regards to different ministries being invited, media and the public requesting to attend the event.

“The event needs to be postponed to ensure a proper event management plan is developed,” read the email.

It proposed that the event should be launched outside of teaching and learning time due to the risk of losing valuable contact time with pupils and not to put them at risk.

Mr Lewis said a different venue could have been arranged but to postpone at the eleventh hour was disappointing.

“We had told the other people to stay at home. We have 100 people to be divided amongst five high risk schools in the area,” he said.

Mr Lewis said they introduced the project to someone at the education department.

“She gave us permission to proceed with our project launch but state that their department will not be involved,” he said.

The organisation then moved to Ms Marais’s department, who said she would be at the launch and see how she could support the organisation.

He said the officers would be monitoring for substance abuse, gangsterism and bullying on school premises during intervals.

“Our organisation suffered a huge loss with the little resources and funds were used before hand in preparation for the launch,” he said.

“I feel the last minute cancellation was disrespectful and that initially they had told us that we were on our own,” he said.

Grandmother Jennifer Sheldon said they would have gotten a stipend.

“The training was very helpful and I can use it in my daily life as to how to I care for myself,” she said.

Her grandchildren are at school but she worries about their safety with all the gangsterism on and off school premises.

Her daughter was approached and traumitised by gangsters and dropped out of school.

Single mother Vanessa Andries said the stipend would have helped to put food on the table.

She has three children, two of whom are in high school, one in matric another in Grade 10 and they have to pay water and electricity.

Her eldest daughter is busy with a learning programme.

“I don’t work. I’m struggling to get maintenance. This would have helped me immensely,” she said.

Ms Andries said her daughter was almost assaulted.

“My presence at the school will make a difference because there are a lot of children who are being abused and going through tough times and they can’t talk to anyone,” she said.

“I am prepared to be there for someone else’s child,” she said.

Pensioner David Kannemeyer, from Tafelsig, it is a good programme for the pupils and the teachers.

He said it was not about the money but the safety of the children.

"I want to help where I can. It is about safety. He said children’s lives en route to school were in danger and when they arrive at school they are terrorised,“ he said.

Jan-Jan Joubert, spokesman for Ms Marais, said the Western Cape Education Department would reply on behalf of the Western Cape Government.

Kerry Mauchline, acting head of the education ministry, said that specific arrangements needed to be made for “these kind of projects and event”.

“It was postponed to make sure these are all followed,” she said.