“Our youth was set on a path to success. The power of young people was felt today as never before. We flung the doors of success open and if you’ve never seen it before we saw it today, that the young lives of Manenberg are precious and are ready to change the face of Manenberg.”
This is how Capt Ian Bennett, spokesperson for Manenberg Police Station, sums up the careers guidance event held at Phoenix Secondary School in Manenberg on Tuesday 18 October.
Grade 11 learners from Manenberg, Cathkin, Phoenix high and The Leadership College attended the exhibition of various police units.
The exhibition was organised by Manenberg police.
Bennett believes police are responsible for igniting the fires of learning, achieving and success in the hearts of the youth in the area.
“Manenberg police held a careers in police-programme as career guidance. Besides the operational units and departments of the police, tertiary institutions were also present to inform the learners of degrees, diplomas and certificates available at the different institutions,” Bennett says.
Phoenix was flooded with enquiring minds, excitement and abuzz with demand for success.
“We appreciate and are humble to have had this opportunity to plant the seed of success in their fragile lives. Now that the seed of learning is planted, we want to also nurture this delicate process and see it to fruition.
“These delicate and precious lives matter to us, we are tired of seeing young people fail and fall by the wayside. We can’t allow our young people to die, literally, in the dirty streets of this community. We need to change this,” he says.
The exhibition was organised through an integrated partnership between the provincial government, police and support from businesses.
“We want to believe that we have injected life of hope and prosperity in the young lives in Manenberg. The community is set on fire with life that will never be the same again, so young people can have purpose, love to share good among each other, so that they can help each other achieve peace. The peace will help the community of the greater Manenberg to live in harmony with no conflict.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that our youth is given an equal chance to make things better for themselves,” Bennett says.
He also says Manenberg was given a torch of prosperity and is now in the hands of the youth.
“We call on our parents to stand in the gap and ensure that the light never dies. We encourage our parents to inspire their children to strive for a better future, to change the face of Manenberg and create that all-important paradigm shift.
“Together we can make this happen, we know that every parent wants their child to succeed, we will take hands and help them walk this path of parenting to build their family unit and know that we as a community will succeed. This is our time to make Manenberg shine,” he says.
He appealed to parents to contact sector managers to help make Manenberg a better place for all who live and walks the streets.
The sector managers are: Sector 1: WO Wayne Koeberg on 082 379 1636; Sector 2: Capt Nontombi Tshomie on 079 894 1479; Sector 3: Sgt Natasha Landers on 082 379 1535; Sgt Percy Kayster for social crime on 021 699 9400.
