Award Information
Many African countries are confronted with the challenge of managing their large young population. Though the youth question manifest in terms of their unemployment, health, and education, the involvement of that social category in violence have become of source of insecurity in many countries. In South Africa, youth violence is one of the main social problems, and this has seriously contributed to the sense of insecurity in the country's townships. While scholars have focused on the perpetrators of violence, the current study seeks to explore the experiences and views of community members affected by the increasing culture of youth gang violence in Khayelitsha, South Africa. Relying on data collected from a sample within the community (including teachers, students, out-of-school youth, parents, community leaders, and other key informants), this research investigates "What drives high schoolboys (youth) to injure and brutally kill each other and how this in turn affects/ impact the larger community. The participants were selected using purposive sampling as the aim was to target specific locations affected by gang violence. In this case, the researcher aims to systematically present the untold stories of the victims. Thus, this project hopes to complete the puzzle by introducing the overlooked voices in the scientific conversation, thereby deepening existing understanding especially in terms of forging a common ground for both parties through restorative justice.