Homeless Mall Rats in South Africa
- added July 22, 2008
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- JackHerer
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Brendan is 14 and the youngest. Thompson protects him. If Thompson isn't there the other boys beat Brendan up. He is soft. His voice hasn't broken and his hands are always tucked into his light jersey.
His shy demeanour disguises the fact he has lived on the streets since he was seven.
Brendan's from Durban. He lived with his uncle who used to drink a lot and beat him. At the age of five Brendan left home to go and live with his mother.
When she abandoned him he came to Joburg to beg from rich people who drive fancy cars.
"Some social workers found me in the city a few years ago and I was put in a shelter. But the one day they caught me with dagga (Cannabis) and I was thrown out.
"At the beginning of this year I was put in New Nation School (a school designed for homeless children in Johannesburg). I was happy there, but the security guards (from the shopping centre) burnt my school uniform and so I couldn't go back."
The boys live in fear of the guards. Just above the entrance to the drain a large CCTV camera turns an all-seeing eye. When the camera moves over them the boys know what is coming.
A group of eight guards arrive. Their blue uniforms identify them. They pick up sticks and have batons ready. The boys scream and run into the pipes - a place into which nobody is willing to follow.
His shy demeanour disguises the fact he has lived on the streets since he was seven.
Brendan's from Durban. He lived with his uncle who used to drink a lot and beat him. At the age of five Brendan left home to go and live with his mother.
When she abandoned him he came to Joburg to beg from rich people who drive fancy cars.
"Some social workers found me in the city a few years ago and I was put in a shelter. But the one day they caught me with dagga (Cannabis) and I was thrown out.
"At the beginning of this year I was put in New Nation School (a school designed for homeless children in Johannesburg). I was happy there, but the security guards (from the shopping centre) burnt my school uniform and so I couldn't go back."
The boys live in fear of the guards. Just above the entrance to the drain a large CCTV camera turns an all-seeing eye. When the camera moves over them the boys know what is coming.
A group of eight guards arrive. Their blue uniforms identify them. They pick up sticks and have batons ready. The boys scream and run into the pipes - a place into which nobody is willing to follow.
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