by Staff Reporter | Jun 22, 2012 | News
It is absurd to wake up to a screaming news headline, “a 17-year-old boy allegedly raped the girl in the bathroom of Busisiwe Primary School in Zola, Soweto.”
A survey conducted among 1,500 schoolchildren in the Soweto township, showed that about a quarter of all the boys interviewed believed that ‘jackrolling’, a term for gang rape, was fun.
The word ‘jackroll’ was used to refer to the forceful abduction of women in black townships by a gang called the “Jackrollers” which operated in the years late 1980’s in the Diepkloof area of Soweto.
Jackrolling has now become a trend among some Soweto youth with the aim to impregnate every woman under the age of 26 in the township in order to “earn respect”. Jackrolling takes place
in public places which enhances the perpetrator’s status.
South Africa has the highest incidents of rape in the world. Gauteng community safety MEC, Faith Mazibuko told parents not to relegate their parental responsibility to government and teachers, and it is about time that the government change how they deal with the issues of rape in general.
She further said the Minister of women, children and people with disabilities should join hands with activists and law enforcement agents to form a unit to deal with rape. Campaigns to schools to teach young kids, especially boys about the dangers of engaging in rape and gang rape “jackrolling”, would be welcome.
“In South Africa we can no longer wait for yet another sex video before we express anger. The police have arrested only seven teenagers in Soweto but there are many other young kids across the country who thinks jackrolling (lepanta) is fashionable.” Isaac Mangena
by Lisa Golden | May 15, 2012 | Featured 1
A DA supporter is carried away by paramedics on Bertha Street Photo: Jan Bornman
Photographs and story by: Jan Willem Bornman, Lisa Golden and Jay Caboz
Protesters and journalists were tear-gassed by police after Democratic Alliance (DA) and Cosatu supporters clashed in Braamfontein today over proposed youth wage subsidies.
The march turned violent after blue-shirted members of the DA and red-shirted Cosatu supporters met on Jorissen Street. The Johannesburg Metro Police made a human chain to keep the two groups separated as they shouted insults at each other. This did not stop supporters from both sides throwing rocks, bottles, bricks and placards at each other across the police chain.
DA leaders were seen at the front of the march Photo: Lisa Golden
Fighting also broke out on Stiemens Street after police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. A 30-minute stand-off ensued while the DA leadership urged their supporters to maintain a non-violent stance, shouting “we want peace”, amid renditions of the national anthem.
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DA members chanted "We are peaceful" when confrontations began Photo: Lisa Golden
One of the first protesters hit by a rock Photo: Jan Bornman
Rocks and bricks were hurled from both sides injuring protestors and journalists alike, among them Nickolaus Bauer from the Mail and Guardian, who was photographed with a bloodied face. A number of injuries have been reported in the media.
Journalist Nickolaus Bauer was injured in the clash Photo: Jan Bornman
DA national leader Helen Zille, parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko, youth leader Makashule Gana and national spokesperson Mmusi Maimane led the march which was in support of the implementation of youth wage subsidies; a proposal rejected by Cosatu.
Competing lines of Cosatu and DA members, in red and blue respectively, are surrounded by media and police Photo: Lisa Golden
Mazibuko and Zille addressed the crowds calling for Cosatu to “join the DA” and saying “that they were stealing jobs from the youth.”
The two groups clashed repeatedly on several Braamfontein streets with the police, who appeared largely disorganised, responding with tear gas and water cannons.
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Police used water cannons to disperse the crowds Photo: Jay Caboz
Windows of a BMW in Braamfontein were broken by protesters Photo: Jan Bornman
DA and Cosatu members arguing Photo: Jay Caboz
The police struggled to contain the situation as tensions increased Photo: Jay Caboz
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A tear gas cansiter lies on the ground close to Cosatu members Photo: Jay Caboz
For more photographs go to Jay’s blog, Lisa’s blog and Jan’s blog
