Peace Walk: Children of Diepsloot chant ‘enough is enough’

DIEPSLOOT – The children of Diepsloot called for an end to abuse during a Peace Walk hosted in honour of National Child Protection Week.

June 4, 2018

Robyn Kirk 2 minutes read

The march began at Rabasotho Combined School and travelled through the township and down William Nicol Drive before participants ended at the Diepsloot Youth Centre for the day's programme. Photo: Robyn Kirk

The children of Diepsloot stood up for their rights and safety on 29 May when a Peace Walk was hosted in the township during National Child Protection Week.

The event was organised by the National Children and Violence Trust (NCVT) and the Progressive Women’s Movement South Africa (PWMSA) to create awareness around violations of children’s rights and to bring awareness to the Diepsloot community about keeping children safe and meeting their basic needs.

Child Protection Week took place from 27 May until 3 June. Photo: Robyn Kirk

After the walk, Diepsloot community leader, Scelo Shezi addressed the audience. Photo: Robyn Kirk

Children from the Rabasotho Combined School and the Akani Methodist School in the area took part in the march on the morning, and the rest of the day was spent listening to community leaders talk about the issue at an event hosted at the Diepsloot Youth Centre.

“It is the responsibility of every one of us here to make sure that every child in Diepsloot and the rest of South Africa enjoy their rights,” Reverend Moloyiso Nkosi, the chaplain at the Akani Methodist School, told the crowd before the march began. “Today’s initiative is us saying that we need to stop the violence and allow them to be children and play without fear.”

The march started at the Rabasotho Combined School grounds behind the Diepsloot Mall and made its way through the streets of Diepsloot and down William Nicol Drive before concluding at the centre. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department ensured participants were safe, and the children sang songs while chanting, ‘enough is enough’ and ‘abuse must fall’ during the journey.

Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, the chairperson of NCVT and the founder and National Convenor of the PWMSA addressed the children directly to discuss abuse against children. Photo: Robyn Kirk

A former member of parliament, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, who is both the chairperson of the NCVT and the founder and member of PWMSA, was present as well and marched with the children before addressing the gathering.

“I came today because Diepsloot is close to my heart as I used to work here before I became a member of parliament,” she said, referring to her time as a psychologist working in the area. “When you [the children present] are at school you must be safe, when you are at home you must be safe. But we’re here today because we know that that doesn’t always happen.”

Mkhize mentioned that statistically speaking, one in five children in the country experience some form of abuse (whether it be physical, sexual, emotional or neglect) before the age of 18, which is why the event was so necessary.