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D. van Greunen and A. Veldsman
Technology has significantly changed the way in which young people interact with
one another and the world around them. The youth use the Internet or a mobile phone
to source information, engage, construct and maintain social networks. Technologies
have dramatically transformed young people’s relationships with one another, their
families and communities. In South Africa, 75% of youth even in rural areas has
access to a mobile phone (Eyebers and Giannakopoulos 2015). This not only yields
opportunities for access to different types of information but also to create a faceless
connected force of youth.
This paper sets out to explore the potential of using mobile phone technology
to drive change amongst at-risk youth in a low-income community that is severely
challenged by social issues.
6.2 Why the Northern Areas?
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is located on the southern coast of South Africa.
The total population amounts to some 1.5 million of which some ±182,000 people
live in the Northern Suburbs (Bloemendal, Bethelsdorp and Gelvandale) of Port
Elizabeth (StatsSA 2011). Although the situation changes constantly as a result of
socio-economic and other circumstances, it is estimated that there are approximately
40,000 households in informal areas with an additional 50,000 qualifying households
in backyard shacks. Distorted development in Nelson Mandela Bay has manifested
in a highly skewed distribution of income and wealth. The unemployment rate is
over 35% of the total population (StatsSA 2011). At least 44% of households access
at least one social grant with 20% of residents not having any or limited schooling.
Daily, the Northern Areas communities face some form of crisis, disaster or situation. The community members are currently downcast and stuck in a perpetual
cycle of poverty, sickness, crime and hopelessness, and therefore do not progress
but regress and are in need of bold moves to be taken towards poverty eradication,
medical relief, unemployment eradication, crime eradication and development of the
future leaders of not only this area but also the country as a whole. Gang culture has
influenced life in the Northern Areas since the early 70s, with the birth of notorious
gangs, such as the Mongrels, Mafias, 40 Thieves and Fire Boys. These gangs warred
over turf and were greatly influenced by the code of the prison gangs. As more young
men went through the prison system, and as gang groups split and splintered, more
street gangs developed and gang culture became more ingrained.
The majority of young people who become involved with gangs are enticed by
the hopes of financial gain, peer pressure or out of rebellion against parents and other
forms of authority. Scores of young people, including pupils from the Northern Area
schools, were murdered in violent gang-related attacks in recent years. Local press
reports on gang violence and murders on a daily basis. According to the SAPS statistics between mid-2014 and January 2015, 59 gang-related murders were committed
in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth; and 120 cases of attempted murder are being
D. van Greunen and A. Veldsman
Technology has significantly changed the way in which young people interact with
one another and the world around them. The youth use the Internet or a mobile phone
to source information, engage, construct and maintain social networks. Technologies
have dramatically transformed young people’s relationships with one another, their
families and communities. In South Africa, 75% of youth even in rural areas has
access to a mobile phone (Eyebers and Giannakopoulos 2015). This not only yields
opportunities for access to different types of information but also to create a faceless
connected force of youth.
This paper sets out to explore the potential of using mobile phone technology
to drive change amongst at-risk youth in a low-income community that is severely
challenged by social issues.
6.2 Why the Northern Areas?
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is located on the southern coast of South Africa.
The total population amounts to some 1.5 million of which some ±182,000 people
live in the Northern Suburbs (Bloemendal, Bethelsdorp and Gelvandale) of Port
Elizabeth (StatsSA 2011). Although the situation changes constantly as a result of
socio-economic and other circumstances, it is estimated that there are approximately
40,000 households in informal areas with an additional 50,000 qualifying households
in backyard shacks. Distorted development in Nelson Mandela Bay has manifested
in a highly skewed distribution of income and wealth. The unemployment rate is
over 35% of the total population (StatsSA 2011). At least 44% of households access
at least one social grant with 20% of residents not having any or limited schooling.
Daily, the Northern Areas communities face some form of crisis, disaster or situation. The community members are currently downcast and stuck in a perpetual
cycle of poverty, sickness, crime and hopelessness, and therefore do not progress
but regress and are in need of bold moves to be taken towards poverty eradication,
medical relief, unemployment eradication, crime eradication and development of the
future leaders of not only this area but also the country as a whole. Gang culture has
influenced life in the Northern Areas since the early 70s, with the birth of notorious
gangs, such as the Mongrels, Mafias, 40 Thieves and Fire Boys. These gangs warred
over turf and were greatly influenced by the code of the prison gangs. As more young
men went through the prison system, and as gang groups split and splintered, more
street gangs developed and gang culture became more ingrained.
The majority of young people who become involved with gangs are enticed by
the hopes of financial gain, peer pressure or out of rebellion against parents and other
forms of authority. Scores of young people, including pupils from the Northern Area
schools, were murdered in violent gang-related attacks in recent years. Local press
reports on gang violence and murders on a daily basis. According to the SAPS statistics between mid-2014 and January 2015, 59 gang-related murders were committed
in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth; and 120 cases of attempted murder are being