RUTV 3

 A four minute documentary on Mother Zelma and the Sistersof St. Peter’s Rectory in Grahamstown and how their lives and desire to help the needy has been adversely affected by crime

By Tamzyn Degoumois, Roza Carvalho and Vuyo Tshekela

Our community meeting was held on Sunday 18 October at the NG Kerk Hall, in Hillsview, Grahamstown. Through the various media we had created about crime in the Hillsview, Sunnyside and Fort England area we aimed to generate discussion around possible community solutions.

Some of the main points of debate were impersonal and isolated nature of the community and how community engagement and building on a daily basis might be desirable, but unrealistic. For example, while some community members mentioned that they would like to help the people who come to their doors, they feel unsafe doing so. However, perhaps the most interesting moment in the meeting was when a resident spoke about the issue of men, their frustration at unemployment and lack of skills training, and how this is a social cause of crime in the community. This spoke to a general feeling that men have been emasculated, often feeding into issues like domestic violence and other crimes. The possible solution proposed was a skills training programme and a possible community fund to pay people within the area for odd jobs.

The following clip is an excerpt from the resident’s response.

By Andisa Ndlovu and Shanel Pillay

West Hill, a peaceful suburb in Grahamstown… although many say the crime in this area is minimal the residents here still feel the need to protect themselves from crime.  Jessica Weaver, an exchange student from America, shares her views on the differences in security.

These are two women of vastly different ages who give an insight into their thoughts on crime and how it affects their community. This respose came after virewing a document, titled “Taverns at Tantyi” which showed how they are a hot spot for crime in the area. The community came with many ideas about how crime could be solved in the community, with the young and the old getting involved. What was important was then feeling as though their opinions did matter, and that what they had to say was valuable. In that regard, civic journalism is important because it is journalism ultimatley made by the public., They are the news, they matter. With a sensitive issue like crime, a sensitive approach is needed. It is difficult because you are essentially opening up old wounds for people and asking them to revivist painful memories. But what was interesting to note was that the kind of neighbourhood meeting we had, allowed for a safe space where people did not need to feel intimidated or afraid to share their stories and opinions.
-A story by Grethe and Sbosh-

Part 1 – Family Feud

Gideon Nikelo was recently murdered on the streets of Vukani by a couple of gangsters he knew. Gideon’s brother, Michael has since returned home from Port Elizebeth to look after his aging parents now that his brother is dead, and it is thought that he could be seeking revenge on his brothers killers. In this short documentay the Nikelo family explain how it feels to loose a son.

 

 

Part 2 – Family Feud

Having recently lost a family member to murder. A murder that is suspected to be part of Michael Nikelo’s revenge plan for his brothers death, The Klaas family are in fear that their lives are now also in danger. In this short film, they explain how the death occured and reveal their other fears.

 

 

 

Part 3 – Families Unite

After both families had expressed their pain and sadness, it became clear that although both families had hurt each other, no one was gaining anything from the family feud. The feud was simply dividing the community more and putting other lives in danger. Hence as public journalists we decided to bring the two families together and try to find a resolution.

 

 

 

 

1 minuet clip that we feel other public journalists will find interesting

 

In this short clip it becomes clear that these two families once shared a strong friendship, and also that the failed trust that shook their friendship has made forgiveness that much more difficult.

By this stage in our mediation we had managed to get the two grieving families to agree to meet each other. However we also realised that for a true gesture of forgiveness to be made, we would need to allow the two families the opportunity to convey the emotions that have shook them recently and explain why they have been so angry with one another.

We felt by showing Part 1 and Part 2 of our documentaries and then allowing each family the chance to explain why they have been acting the way they have, and why they have been feeling so betrayed, allowed for a good foundation to be laid for a sincere and honest apology and gesture of forgiveness from each family.  

This mediation necessary to help these families back to a similar state of being as before the murders is by no means over, but the first steps towards a resolution are definitely in place.

News Story: Families Unite

 

On the 22^nd of October, we arrived in Vukani ready to mediate a reunion between the Nikelo, Twala and Klaas families. We decided on a mutual venue for the meeting, and eventually chose a small church in the area. We waited for the police to arrive before we started, as we were concerned about any conflict that may occur between the families.

When the police arrived, we described the situation to them, and what we intended to do in this meeting. We asked them to sit in on the meeting, but were told that “it is not in [their] job description.”

We started the proceedings by asking everyone to introduce themselves. So-called “committee members” were asked to leave, leaving only key family members behind.  Proceedings began with a short song followed by a prayer. Matthew Mpahlwa, who chaired the meeting then explained to all present what the aim of the meeting was and clarified any queries. We then played both the Nikelo and Klaas documentaries. Everyone sat quietly while the videos were playing and all listened intently. Matthew translated any English sections into isiXhosa.

After watching the videos we had an interaction session between the two families, trying to find a way forward. Michael Nikelo said he ‘never knew there was tension between the two families’ and said the families should support each other through this situation. The Twala and Klaas families stated they didn’t have a problem with the Nikelo family either.  Both families felt the community was to blame for their gossip on the situation. The gossip escalated the situation, with the community trying to continue the family feud.

Michael’s father, Solomon Nikelo, expressed concern over the justice system, worried that it was not performing its job. He wanted to be ensured that perpetrators would be convicted. He was not against the Twala and Klaas families; he only wanted an explanation for why his child was killed. Michael’s mother, Miriam said she would never have peace, Michael added or corrected her by saying she would never have peace with the perpetrators not the family. The Twala and Klaas family expressed that they were living in fear wanted desperately for this feud to come to an end. They said they felt very unsecure in the area, and didn’t understand why everyone is against them personally when they never send their kids out to do bad things.

As the meeting drew to a close both families agreed to be friends and it was decided that the Twala/Klaas families would be incorporated back into the community.  Micahel would lead this initiative and there would be a follow-up community meeting to which Nikelo would invite the families as well as explain the situation to the community. Unfortunately, when he left the meeting Micahel went against his word, saying we had miscommunicated the nature and aim of the meeting to him. He said he had never known it was going to be purely a family meeting and had thought it was one which would include the entire community. We had phoned him earlier that day reminding him of the meeting and describing his nature, so his comment came as quite a surprise.

 Matthew addressed the angry mob outside explaining to them what had happened in the meeting. The 6 policemen were on stand-by throughout our interaction with the community outside the church. They warned us however that they did not have enough manpower to push the crowds back. The community were to be informed about the decisions taken, and told there would be an arranged community meeting where the family to be integrated back into the Vukani community.

As we left the church community members began insulting us and calling us liars. They shouted at group member, Robyn McCormick who had arranged the meeting saying she was a liar and was to blame for the all the problems. There was a great deal of miscommunications which lead to confusion and anger over what we as a group were trying to achieve.

Luckily before we left, the community understood what we had been doing and apologised to our group for their mistakes and we apologised for any miscommunication they may have occurred on our part. It was said that the community would be responsible for organising the meeting for the families to be integrated back into the community. We left reluctant over the outcome of the community meeting which is still to be held. We were happy with our achievements, and hope that discussions between the families will continue once we leave.

 

 Public Journalism in Grahamstown.

We were assigned to the areas of the CBD and Oatlands.  As Rhodes students, our group was already very familiar with these areas. Our first move was to create a civic map of the entire area; this entailed speaking to businesses as well as residents and the transient community on the streets about the area’s crime rate, or any problems;  social or political that the community feel need to be addressed. We found that the biggest issue businesses and residents experienced were petty crime, break-ins and begging. Most businesses and residents seem sure that the perpetrators are street children and beggars. So we decided that for our documentaries we would focus people who rely on the streets of the CBD to make some money. We came across Given (Informal Lily seller) and Robocop (Informal car guard/ Washer). After speaking to both these characters we gained more insight into their lives and how they themselves have been affected by crime. Both themselves former criminals, they now are part of the informal business life of the Grahamstown CBD.

The main point about civic journalism is that the journalists are citizens first, and media practitioners second. We spoke with Given and Robocop and discussed our own experiences of crime. We engaged on a level where we shared similar stories and spoke about ways that we could all work together to combat the crime problem in the CBD.