Grassy Park teenagers were left with the clear message to “make good choices” at a crime-prevention programme held at Pollsmoor prison on Tuesday 29 March.
Pollsmoor prison Communications Manager Lewies Davids said the crime prevention programme allowed ex-offenders to engage with the youth.
“With this crime prevention programme for schools we invite the community, schools, NGO’s and organisations to come and get into contact with the communications department in Pollsmoor where you can basically bring a youth group to Pollsmoor so that we can engage with them.
“Also, if you want us to send one of our officers or ex-offenders out to the schools to come and address the learners with regards to crime prevention, that is also welcome.”
He added that Pollsmoor prison in Tokai currently has 6 823 prisoners of which 5 000 are awaiting trial. “Medium A has remanded detainees (awaiting trial), the Medium B is for sentenced inmates and Medium C is a release Centre. The female centre at the moment has under 600 females, but there’s also awaiting trial offenders, we have youth and the elderly.”
Ex-offender Alexander “Mervin” Joostenberg, who addressed the youth, said the first time he ended up in prison he was only 14 years old.
“In 1994 I was 14 and sent to Pollsmoor prison for the first time, after that I was here for a month or two because of court. I went out and came back for two years, then three and another three years.
“Then later, I was sentenced to 15 years and I did eight years in prison for that. My whole life was about drugs, alcohol and gangsterism. I was in prison for house-break-ins and robbery which was the main crimes I committed.”
Joostenberg said while he was at Medium B he attended a restorative justice programme which steered him in the right direction.
“In that process I remember there were two main words that stood out, but I didn’t understand the meaning of the words at the time, it is responsibility and accountability.
“I blamed other people for my pain, I blamed other people for my life of crime, but that restorative justice process helped me to understand that crime was disrespectful towards other people, even if people hurt me, I didn’t have the right to commit crime. It helped me to overcome my drug lifestyle by taking responsibility and to be accountable.”
The former offender, who is originally from Ocean View, has been sharing his life experiences with youth for the past 16 years.
“I speak to youth, grown-up men in prison, females. Wherever people need me to share here or in Malmesbury, Drakenstein, Brandvlei . . . wherever they need me. I’m doing this for almost 16 years. In June I will be out of prison for 16 years.”
His message to the youth is to make good choices and to speak up.
“To the youth of the Western Cape and all other youth, make good choices and identify someone who can speak to you if you are going through peer pressure or if you are being bullied. People don’t see it because, that is also the main tools, that children are being used in schools to abuse children. What I want to say to the youth is identify someone who will become a mentor to you and say what you are going through. Be open and speak up, don’t be quiet.”
Saadiqah Ganief, treasurer from the New Horizon Neighbourhood Watch, said 15 teenagers from the age of 13 were selected to participate in the programme on Tuesday.
“The aim of the programme is to focus on our youth that are easily influenced by a circle of friends. The age groups we chose was from 13 years and above. We have partnered up with the Grassy Park youth desk and they invited two learners from each high school.”
She added that it was the first group of youth to attend the programme, but the aim is to continue with the programme.
“We want to have this programme ongoing; this is the first, the start of it and we would like them to see what prison life is like. Those who are 18 years and above we will be arranging something for that age group so that they can hear the talks and also see what it’s like in prison.”
Capt Wyneta Kleinsmith, spokesperson for Grassy Park police, said education is a vital tool. “The youth see us as the enemy, but we are not the enemy. We are also here to educate and from our Station Commander Col Daiwood Laing, we have empathy.
“There are programmes that they can get involved with and that’s why the aim of the youth desk is to spread awareness that there is something better, not just gangsterism, especially now with our area having gang violence. With this programme they realise if you get a criminal record, your life is messed up. We want to say, make the right choices in life.”
