National Youth Day: Throughout the week, Scrolla.Africa is reviewing the young leaders of South Africa across the fields of sport, activism, entertainment and more. Buziwe Nocuze speaks to a young man who started a dance group to keep children off the streets in one of the country’s most notorious townships.
Khayelitsha in Cape Town is one of the most dangerous townships in the Western Cape.
Over the last three months, it has one of the highest murder rates of any township in the country, as revealed by statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele last week.
It was this reason that led Thandiswa John to start a dance group.
After losing her job as a dancer after an injury, she decided to make the best of the situation and create a dance piece while recovering. In August last year, she started a group which she called Onitsha to perform it. After she recovered, she continued with the group.
As a professional dancer and yoga teacher, it was not difficult for her to teach more than 20 kids between the ages of five and 16 years.
She said it is essential to give back to the community. She has created a safe space for the youth not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.
“I have realised that kidnapping, human trafficking, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, and gangs have a major impact on our community so I decided to save the kids also by keeping them busy,” she said.
Her primary focus is dancing, but she plans to expand into teaching acting, singing, poetry, and playing instruments because those are her skills and she would like to introduce them to the kids.
She also assists them with their homework.
“I advise them about the dangers of falling pregnant at an early age and joining gangs because that will be the end of their futures,” she said.
Parent Charlotte Pezisa loves what Thandiswa John is doing because their kids are always active and are doing well at school.
“Being involved in activities helps a lot because they keep them from being involved in bad things,” she said.
“The dance keeps them busy instead of being outside where they can be kidnapped or killed.”
Chile Faleni, a 15-year-old dancer, doesn’t regret joining the group. It keeps her off the streets and she knows how teenage pregnancy would affect her life. She is inviting other kids to come and join as it will help them in their schoolwork.
