NO MASK, no social distancing, just good times.
This is what most parents are dealing with as their kids are not in school.
Although the parents were worried about their kids returning to school amid the second wave, they now feel differently.
They feel the kids are safer at school than at home. This is because they play in large numbers without wearing masks, washing hands or maintaining a social distance.
“They’re just careless. They’re safer at school than at home,” said parent Nokwazi Mdlalose from Emdeni in Soweto.
She said the kids would be learning and have time to play at school.
Daily Sun visited various kasis and found kids loitering in the streets. They played in the streets and parks and bummed each other’s loosedraws as if there was no corona in Mzansi.
“This has to stop, and the only way to stop it is by sending them back at school. They’re too much now,” said Nomvula Shoba from Jabulani, Soweto.
She said she tried to warn the kids to stop playing in large groups.
“But they don’t listen. Kids of today are disrespectful. They easily tell you where to get off,” she said.
She was told to mind her own business the last time she tried to warn them.
“From that day I decided to keep quiet and just watch,” said Nomvula.
Another parent, Nomzamo Khambule (38) from Jabulani, said this was the reason the second wave was killing young ones.
“They don’t listen and don’t care,” she said.
The kids insisted that they wash their hands and sanitise regularly.
“But we can’t let the virus dictate to us. We won’t stop playing. It’s what keeps us going,” said a 10-year-old girl from Emdeni.
Another girl (11) from Jabulani said: “I tried to stay home but couldn’t. I was beginning to go crazy and had to go out to be with friends.”
Meanwhile, the station commander of Nyanga cop shop in Cape Town, Brigadier Vuyisile Ncatha, said over 100 schoolkids had been bust for hijackings in Philippi since last year.
He said the area is a hijacking hot spot and is especially unsafe for ehailing drivers.
The situation worsened during lockdown as many kids were not going to school and spent more time in the streets.
“So far we’ve arrested more than 100. These kids are in grade 6 to 8,” said Ncatha.
He said most of the minors were released into their parents’ care.
“Some of these boys are repeat offenders. Some were denied bail, but most of them are out,” he said.
Some parents turned a blind eye.
“There was a case where kids hijacked a car and drove into a wall. Their parents paid for the damaged wall,” he said.
Residents of Philippi have since closed roads around their kasi to prevent the young thugs from speeding in the streets.
