It's the very stuff of urban legend.
Certainly the very stuff of legends in the organisation. And yet there seems to be good reason to believe it. The incident was told to me by my predecessor and he is a reliable story teller.
It goes like this.
There was gang warfare in Hillbrow, an infamous mid-city section of Johannesburg. One of the gangs was made up of young people and youth of Lebanese origin .. known simply as the Lebanese, or if you like, the "Lebanese Gang".The rivals had a name, but it was not mentioned in the telling of this story.
Somehow some of the young persons in the Home, known only to the staff as "the boys" would go into Hillbrow especially over weekend nights as "back-up" for the rival gang. Their story was that the didn't actually fight but stood behind the rival street gang to swell the numbers, increase the threat and fight only when it really became necessary. "The Lebanese knew the "Home boys" at very least, by sight. Gang members on both sides would recognise each other anywhere.
There was a soccer match a the Home. The "Home boys" were playing against some or other side when it was noticed that the Lebanese Gang had jumped the fence and were collecting somewhat out of sight on a lower bank of the field in large numbers and armed.
The story goes that on staff instruction the match was stopped. The entire Home, players and spectators were ordered to get into their houses and lock themselves in. The police were called who then dispersed the attackers with the help of dogs.
Legendary stuff !!
There was a sequel in my time.
There is a procedure by which a boy could be admitted for 48 hours as an emergency Place of Safety. The police or a social worker had the legal power to sign the form and deliver the boy to the Home as a Place of Safety awaiting a magistrate to decide on a future placement or to make the Place of Safety placement permanent. These boys just arrive, sometimes if you are lucky on the strength of a telephone call only... no preparation of the others in the house..just arrive,form in hand in a police van or a social workers car.
It was evening when this Lebanese youth was delivered and admitted. I was told that he had said at the time, " I can't stay here". I think that the background possibilities were not known by the person who did the admittance. He was accompanied to the dininghall for the centralised evening meal, reluctant and scared, but he didn't have an option. His anxiety was interpreted as normal considering he had been picked up in some kind of emergency and very quickly delivered into a strange place with 103 other boys already well integrated into the system.
In the dininghall "the boys" immediately recognised him as a member of the "Lebanese Gang". He knew "the boys" as the supporters of the rival gang.
Now, the dininghall situation was closely controlled. It was monitored by staff, table orderlies, and a little body of boys known as "prefects". Even so.animosity and rivalry could not be contained About five of "the boys" stood up so that they would be seen by the Lebanese youth and gang member.
Almost in unison, they gave him "the sign".
The thumb is placed behind the front teeth and pulled forward sharply to make a clocking sound. Then the forefinger of the same hand is stretched asif pointing and drawn slowly across the neck asif slitting the throat.
The message was clear.
The Lebanese boy got up, ran out of the dininghall, ran out of the Home and the property, not to be seen again.
He escaped.
It was fear.
He" ran from....... "
We all talk of pro-active, preventative, professional child and youth care.
Could this have been prevented?
What do you think?
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