Scores of schoolchildren, their teachers and parents marched silently in Johannesburg on Thursday in a moving protest against crime.
The protest, sparked by the killing of Emily Williams (12) during a robbery in Fairland last week, took place on Beyers Naude Drive in north-western Johannesburg.
Emily, a grade-seven pupil at Trinity House Preparatory School, was killed in crossfire between armed guards and robbers when she and her mother stopped to pick up a classmate, Alison Saunders, at her home in Fairland.
Nkosinathi Nkosi (37), Innocent Siphiwe (28), David Nathi Busi (29) and Shadrack Shawe (33) have all appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court in connection with the girl’s death. They are being held in custody and have applied for legal aid.
”[The march] was our attempt to say to government: we are not satisfied with what you are doing in terms of crime or crime prevention,” said Trinity headmaster Dr Herbie Staples.
The silent marchers, wearing pink and holding placards and banners, released hundreds of pink balloons in tribute to Williams.
The funds raised from selling the balloons will be added to the R67 000 raised and donated to a local community policing forum.
”We, as loving, caring South Africans, say to the government that they are not doing enough. We on the ground know that crime is spiralling out of control,” said Staples.
Babalwa Tumgunde (14) was in the school’s public-speaking team with Emily and described her as a humble girl.
”We, as young people, are standing against crime. We are sick of this … if the government isn’t going to do anything about it, we will,” she said, holding a placard that read: ”A life for a life.” — Sapa