Youth Day celebrations

Nomampondo Plaatjie
JEFFREYS Bay police together with Sarah Baartman Youth Development hosted the June 16 Youth Day celebrations in Jeffreys Bay last Saturday.
The event at the Pellsrus sports field, which was well-supported, started at 9am and ended at 5pm.
The day got off with a prayer before Glen Arendse read the history of June 16 1976 and why it should always be commemorated.
The field was a hive of activity with games including rugby, soccer, netball, basketball and skateboarding. There was even a jumping castle for the children.
Off-field entertainment included performances by a group from Hankey and local dance group, Cherylden's Dance Crew.
There was also a dance competition in which groups competed for an mp3 player.
Head of visible police in the Humansdorp cluster, Lieutenant Colonel Jannie Domingo, addressed the youth on behalf of the Jeffrey's Bay SAPS.
In welcoming the crowd Domingo said the event was a good opportunity to bring the community together and saw the celebrations as a chance for the police to connect with them.
"Jeffreys Bay is a crime-stricken area,” he said. "The youth in 1976 were fighting against poor education. In 2012 the youth are still facing other battles.”
Domingo said the area also suffers from the abuse of women and children and substance abuse.
The event organiser and MC, Iglan Groblaar, believed the Lord called him to organise the sports event. Groblaar, who suffered drug addiction for 13 years, has now been clean for seven months. He said such events were a way to get the young people off the streets.