Ashline Maarman has been living in Tafelsig all her life.
She is mom to a three-year-old girl who does not not know what it is like to play outside – it is simply too dangerous.
“You are always concerned when your child goes outside or you put your child in the educare transport because you just don’t know what could happen on the road. I am in several crime groups and see all these things (gang violence and crime) happening.
“Our children are growing up with these things. I recently read an article that said a boy at a school had said he wants to be a skollie when he grows up.
“It is not nice hearing about this because kids are growing up seeing these things as normal, and we have to teach them that it is not. Parents are so afraid raising kids in the community,” Ms Maarman said.
Ms Maarman’s daughter attends Learn and Grow educare, which was one of four Tafelsig early childhood development (ECD) centres that took part in the Ward 82 ECD hub colour run in Searidge Park on Thursday November 14.
The colour run was organised to create a safe space for the ECD children to play outside, under the watchful eyes of teachers, parents and neighbourhood watch members.
The greater Tafelsig community has been gripped by fear due to ongoing gang violence in the area in recent months.
“It is an amazing feeling seeing my child play outside so freely. It is nice seeing all the children with smile on their faces. They can actually come out and enjoy themselves,” Ms Maarman said.
Candice Willemburg, the Ward 82 ECD representative, said the colour run was organised to create awareness about child safety issues and to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion.
“There has been a lot of tension in our areas with all the recent shootings happening and children being killed, abducted and raped. Parents are keeping their kids inside rather than letting them play outside, but children learn through play. We are doing the colour run to let them know there is hope,” she said.
Ms Willemburg said ECD centres are often the only space where children can play in a safe and protected environment.
“Many of them have fallen pray to domestic violence and sexual abuse and don’t have a safe home environment. Often, the ECD centres are their only escape at times.
“We urge our communities to stand united, and to motivate our children to speak out against abuse and receive help. We also want to send a message to the perpetrators assaulting our little ones that we will not let them get away with it,” Ms Willemburg said.
ECD centre principals Petronella Salto and Chervonne Moses also urged parents to enrol their children in educare centres so that they can learn through play in a safe space.
Ward 82 councillor Washiela Harris commended the principals of the ECD centres for arranging the colour run. She said children should be able to play freely in parks more often.
“This is what kids are supposed to do. The principals of our ECDs in Ward 82 are doing amazing work. They are literally the wind behind the wings of these future leaders. They are letting the little ones know that even though we are in a gang infested area, there is still time to have fun,” she said.
Children need to know that there are safe spaces in our community, Councillor Harris added, urging residents to create more safe spaces by taking a stand against gangsterism and dumping in their areas.
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