Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The problem of gangsterism in the Western Cape is taking on huge proportions especially among high school youth. Previous studies found that the initial expectations of gang members and their actual experience of gang membership differed. An ethnographic study was done with high school pupils from a semi-urban setting in the Western Cape who were gang members to find out how they constructed meaning out of their membership to the gangs. Transcripts of unstructured interviews with five participants were analysed using Strauss and Corbin's method of Grounded Theo . The analysis - showed that the pupils from this setting predominantly joined the gangs because they were exposed to the gang members, who operated in the same streets that they live in, and as a result received much more positive information about the gang from their friends. They chose to remain committed to the gang because the gang members were perceived as being very supportive, providing for them financially, emotionally (by giving them acceptance) and physically (protecting them). The study found tha COnfl~!).,as a major part of the gang life or culture. Members could not escape the violent gang activities, despite all their attempts to make peace. The gang culture which resembled that of the prison gang c~, was perpetuated and sustained by the persistent group dynamics and processes that imposed social roles and expectations on members. The members became more deviant in behaviour out of loyalty to the gang. Contrary to current beliefs on the causes of gangsterism, the present study found that social control and feelings of relative deprivation had no conscious influence on the participants' decision to become gang members. The research suggests that future gang intervention should seek to develop programs around providing alternative modes of support to youth at risk. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bendevraagstuk in die Westelike Kaap neem groot afmetings aan onder die jeug van verskeie plaaslike hoerskole. Vorige studies het getoon dat die aanvanklike verwagtinge van die jeug en hulle werklike ervaring van bendelidmaatskap verskil het. 'n Etnografiese ondersoek is geloods waarin hoerskoolleerlinge uit 'n semi-stedelike gebied van die Westelike Kaap betrek is om die betekenis van bendelidmaatskap te konstrueer. Die ongestruktureerde onderhoude met vyf deelnemers is aan die hand van Strauss en Corbin se metode van analise ontleed. Die daaropvolgende analise het getoon dat hulle hoofsaaklik by 'n bende in hul woonbuurt aangesluit het omdat hulle baie blootstelling aan, en positiewe terugvoer van die bendelede gekry het. Die deelnemers het verkies om lojaal teenoor die bende te bly omdat die bende hulle emosionele (aanvaarding), fisiese (beskerming) en finansiele ondersteuning gebied het. Die huidige studie het gevind dat konflik 'n integrale kern van die bendekultuur gevorm het. Ten spyte van die vele pogings wat bendelede aangewend het om vrede te bewerkstellig, kon hulle nie daarin slaag om die geweldadige akitiwiteite te stuit nie. Hierdie bendekultuur wat sterk ooreenstem met die tronkbende-sisteem is in stand gehou deur groepsdinamika wat sekere sosiale rolle en verwagtinge op lede afgedwing het. Bendelede het groter gedragsafwykings getoon soos wat die lojaliteit aan die bende toegeneem het. In teenstelling met algemene bevindings betreffende die oorsprong van bendelidmaatskap, het hierdie studie getoon dat sosiale beheer en die ervaring van relatiewe deprivasie geen noemenswaardige invloed gehad het nie. Daar word voorgestel dat programme vir intervensies moet konsentreer op alternatiewe vorme van ondersteuning vir hierdie "riskante" jeug.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the MAGISTER EDUCATIONIS in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2007 / Gangsterism affecting schools on the Cape Flats, as well as concerns about this phenomenon as addressed by the Provincial Minister of Education, Cameron Dugmore, during his Education Budget Speech in 2006, has led to widespread media attention in South Africa. Despite the Western Cape Education Department’s implementation of the Safer Schools project in 2001 to assist educators working in gang-ridden communities, not enough is being done to eradicate the problems caused by gangsterism which educators face in their schools on a daily basis. This research embarks on enquiring how gangsterism influences the morale of educators, focusing specifically on the educators’ perception of their morale and their experiences while working in gang-ridden communities. The research acknowledges that the educators play a vital role in education and are therefore regarded as key stakeholders in a community. The research is located in a qualitative paradigm because it seeks to achieve a deeper understanding of the educators’ morale disposition in gang-ridden communities and investigates the constructs of how gangsterism influences the morale of educators. Data was collected from principals and educators working in the following gangridden communities: Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Heideveld, Hanover Park and Valhalla Park. A total of 53 respondents, including both educators and principals, participated in this research. Methods of data collection included observations, seven unstructured interviews and six structured focus group interviews. The result revealed that gangsterism does influence the morale of educators working in gang-ridden communities. It was also found that gangsterism affects the whole school community - educators, learners and parents. It is a powerful yet destructive phenomenon and has a negative effect on educator morale.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Arts, 1990 / In r.he context of family instability, inadequate schooling, massive youth unemployment and severe residential overcrowding, juvenile delinquency became rampant in Witwatersrand townships during the 1930s. By the mid 1940s the I'tsotsis", a criminal, male-dominated youth gang subculture with its own distinctively urban style, ritual and language, had entrenched itself amongst urbanised township communities Tsotsis angrily rejected both hegemonic whlte middle class values and the apparently acquiescent culture of their parents. Tsotsi style, which drew heavily on American cinema imagery, expressed a denial of cultural consensus in urban society. Tsotsi gangs preyed materially off township residents and distanced themselves from political activity or community affairs. However, around 1959-60 tsotsis were attracted to the radical, machismo, aggressively anti-establishment politics of the Pan-Africanist Congress. The subculture dissolved during the 1960s as a result of police crackdowns, expanded state schooling and improved employment opportunities for urban youth. / WS2017

The subculture of gang violence has become a most feared phenomenon in many povertystricken communities in South Africa and especially in the Western Cape. The gang violence that is prevalent in these communities affects mostly the adolescents, who are supposed to be &lsquo / the leaders of tomorrow&rsquo / . The purpose of this research study was to focus on adolescents in a community where gang violence is rife and in turn reveals their perceptions on gang violence, what the causes of gang violence are and how they are affected by it as expressed in their own words. The researcher establishes the significance and necessity of focusing on adolescents as influenced by gang violence through a phenomenological exploration of their lives. The position that is developed affirms that adolescents are adversely affected by gang violence both from a behavioral and cognitive standpoint. The dire extent of gang violence on these adolescents&rsquo / lives is illustrated by using Fanon&rsquo / s six dimensions of violence. Furthermore various theoretical hypotheses are provided to explain the or igin of gang violence in comparison to the explanations expressed by the adolescents themselves from the interviews conducted. The study is concluded with recommendations extracted from relevant literature as well as comments expressed by the participants of this study. The main limitation within this study was the lack of research outputs within the South African context on the topic of how gang violence affects adolescents who are not gang members. The rich information produced by this study in conducting in-depth interviews with adolescents makes this study significant.

<p>People outside of prison tend to imagine sex in prison as violent gang attacks on defenceless individuals, but in actual fact, sex in prison is more complicated than the isolated gang rapes that take place. For the purpose of this study, the researcher followed the qualitative research approach from a constructivist perspective to understand how participants portrayed or constructed their experiences of victimization and/or perceprion of rape.</p>

The subculture of gang violence has become a most feared phenomenon in many povertystricken communities in South Africa and especially in the Western Cape. The gang violence that is prevalent in these communities affects mostly the adolescents, who are supposed to be &lsquo / the leaders of tomorrow&rsquo / . The purpose of this research study was to focus on adolescents in a community where gang violence is rife and in turn reveals their perceptions on gang violence, what the causes of gang violence are and how they are affected by it as expressed in their own words. The researcher establishes the significance and necessity of focusing on adolescents as influenced by gang violence through a phenomenological exploration of their lives. The position that is developed affirms that adolescents are adversely affected by gang violence both from a behavioral and cognitive standpoint. The dire extent of gang violence on these adolescents&rsquo / lives is illustrated by using Fanon&rsquo / s six dimensions of violence. Furthermore various theoretical hypotheses are provided to explain the or igin of gang violence in comparison to the explanations expressed by the adolescents themselves from the interviews conducted. The study is concluded with recommendations extracted from relevant literature as well as comments expressed by the participants of this study. The main limitation within this study was the lack of research outputs within the South African context on the topic of how gang violence affects adolescents who are not gang members. The rich information produced by this study in conducting in-depth interviews with adolescents makes this study significant.

<p>People outside of prison tend to imagine sex in prison as violent gang attacks on defenceless individuals, but in actual fact, sex in prison is more complicated than the isolated gang rapes that take place. For the purpose of this study, the researcher followed the qualitative research approach from a constructivist perspective to understand how participants portrayed or constructed their experiences of victimization and/or perceprion of rape.</p>

Magister Artium - MA / People outside of prison tend to imagine sex in prison as violent gang attacks on defenceless individuals, but in actual fact, sex in prison is more complicated than the isolated gang rapes that take place. For the purpose of this study, the researcher followed the qualitative research approach from a constructivist perspective to understand how participants portrayed or constructed their experiences of victimization and/or perceprion of rape. / South Africa

Gevangenisbendes in Suid-Afrika het 'n lang geskiedenis. die eerste was gestig onder Swart gevangenes in die Transvaal onmiddellik na die Anglo-Boere oorlog. Die Ninevite bende was ingestel deur Nongoloza Mathebula en het in die Witwatersrand geopereer. "Nongoloza" se bende het bestaan uit agt lede waarvan die 28 bende later ontwikkel het. Die 28 bende is ten gunste van wyfies-verhouding (homoseksuele) onder sy bende lede. "Ngelejani" se bende, waaruit die 26 bende ontwikkel het, was nie ten gunste van die wyfies-verhouding nie. Die ander bende wat in die gevangenis ontstaan het, is die Big 5 bende en die Airforce bende. / Prison gangs in South Africa have a long history. the first were established among Black prisoners in the Transvaal soon after the Anglo-Boer war. The Ninevite gang was introduced by Nongoloza Mathebula and operated in the Witwatersrand. "Nongoloza's" gang consisted of eight members, from which the 28 gang later developed. The 28 gang approved the boy-wives relationship (homo-sexual) among its gang members. "Ngelejani's" gang from which the 26 gang developed, disapproved the boy-wives relationship. Other gangs established in prison, are the Big 5 gang and the Airforce gang. / Sociology / M.A. (Penology)

No abstract available.