Tiny fingers squeezed through a fence of Parkwood Primary School to hold the placards “Stop hurting us because we are children” and “We want to feel safe” during a picket organised by school teachers on Friday 14 April.
Teachers and community leaders picketed outside the school in support of Grade 2 learner Nasiegha Williams (7) who was paralysed when she was shot during an alleged gang crossfire on Thursday 5 April.
Sherona Scheepers, deputy principal at the school, said violence in the area affected children in the classrooms.
“I stood here earlier and became emotional to think that we have to go to this extent for children to be safe and this is not the first child. Two or three years ago, we lost a child from our school.”
She added that the dreams Williams had were shattered.
“Yesterday I spoke to my class and told them how this child may have had her own dreams like going to the Olympics, playing netball for the country or whatever.
“But this child has lost everything, so we are really sad.”
Nasieba Adams, the aunt of Nasiegha, says the entire family has been impacted by the shooting incident.
“It is hard for us. She is doing okay but she is paralysed and still has a bullet in her kidney. They are not going to remove it yet because she is still in a lot of pain and they say it is not an emergency to do it now.”
Commenting on the gang violence Adams adds: “Enough is enough. Something has to come out of this because it could have been anyone’s child, it could have been my child.”
Sinead Lavan, Nasiegha’s class teacher, says it is sad that children cannot safely play outdoors.
“We want this to stop and we are very sad. When it is holiday time and you are a child, you want to play but the reality in this community is that they have to stay inside. We all feel sad that this happened, also seeing that she may never be able to walk again.
“It is not fair. So, we just want her to get well and get better soon.”
Lavan describes Nasiegha as a bubbly child who, from her hospital bed, has already asked for school homework.
“Nasiegha was a very bubbly person in class and she was one of the top two learners and she was always excited about school.
“Yesterday, I was chatting with her mother and she asked if I sent her schoolwork yet. She was that kind of learner in class.”
Rasheed Allen, a community leader, says residents are fed up with the gang violence in Parkwood.
The young girl was playing outside her home when two bullets struck her in the spine and kidney.
“It is very sad what is happening in our community because in the past few years, we lost innocent children and I don’t know whether it is the justice system or the police system that is failing us.”
As a parent of a young girl and boy, Allen says it is sad that children have to suffer.
“I am a parent of a little girl that is attending Parkwood Primary. I have a nine-year-old son too and it could have been him. If you look at the past shootings, it is really sad that our kids must suffer.”
Pastor Paul Phillips, a community leader and activist, says children’s lives are at risk daily.
“This is not the first time a child has been a victim of crime and gangsterism, it is out of control.
“We can no longer allow our children, especially our primary school children, to be victims of crime. Their lives are at risk and we have had many white coffins to bury out of this community.
“There are parents standing here today who are still mourning and grieving because they lost a loved one and we are making a stance and want to make a statement to authorities specifically. They must take control of the situation.”
