Soshanguve- Access to recreational areas and active participation by parents in their children’s upbringing can play a major role in addressing challenges regarding children and social media.
These were some of the recommendations raised by parents and youth who attended an engagement between parents and young people in Soshanguve Block XX, Pretoria on Friday.
Hosted by the Department of Women under the theme ‘Challenges faced by parents and grandparents regarding Social Media’, the event, which forms part of the Imbizo Focus Week programme aimed at raising awareness of cyber safety.
According to the Film and Publication Board (FPB), data usage in the City of Tshwane has recorded a tremendous increase with the city’s roll out of free Wi-Fi.
Data from StatsSA also shows that more than 51% of the population in the City of Tshwane has access to the internet, with the majority being the youth.
Parents and youth who attended the event, told Minister Shabangu that if more training centres and recreational facilities are made available for the youth, the youth would be kept occupied and spend less time on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
Nelisiwe Nkosi, aged 24, challenged the youth to use their talents like singing at church instead of going to shebeens, where they get drunk and become victims of all bad things including rape.
“It’s about time we wake up and use our talents, in that way we can be safe from all bad things happening around,” said Nkosi.
Bongani Skhakhane challenged men to play a meaningful role in their children’s upbringing, warning that if a parent spend all the time at the shebeen, children will also do the same.
Minister Shabangu encouraged parents to take time and check their children’s school work, even if they don’t understand what’s inside the books.
She also encouraged parents to monitor the activities on their children’s cell-phones, as it would be easy to see when their children are in danger. – SAnews.gov.za
