Moshopyadi a’Hlabirwa a’Dimo🇿🇦

Everyone is talking about how the kids involved in the Eldorado park incident deserve to go to jail, but I don't think many people truly understand what it's like to grow up in an area where crime has become the norm. Imagine growing up in a community where hearing gunshots is part of everyday life. Where children play in the streets while crime happens around them. Where you're constantly on edge, always alert, never really feeling safe in your own neighbourhood. Imagine what that does to a child's mind when this is all they have ever known. Some children grow up seeing gang members as role models because that's what they are exposed to. For some, being part of a gang may even become something they aspire to. Not because every child in these communities is destined for that life, but because the environment around them can shape what they see as normal, what they aspire to and what they believe is possible for their future. I feel like the robbery of the Uber driver has brought to light some of the deeper issues that exist in communities like Westbury and Eldorado Park. We cannot only focus on the crime itself without also asking what is happening in these communities and what is being done to change things. People deserve to feel safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods. The government, the police, local councillors and the community all have a role to play in combating crime and protecting residents. But fighting crime cannot only be about arresting people after the damage has been done. What is being done to break the cycle? What resources are available to help children growing up in these areas? Where are the sports facilities, mentorship programmes, counselling services, skills development and opportunities that could help them build a different future? We need to invest in these communities. We need to give children safe spaces to grow, access to education, psychological support and positive role models. And even those who end up in prison need access to counselling, rehabilitation and education so that they have a chance to rebuild their lives. This does not excuse crime, and people must be held accountable for their actions. But punishment alone will not address the deeper problems that allow crime to continue from one generation to the next. #UberRobbery #uberdriver