YOUNGSTERS COPY TV SHOW'S SEX - YIZO YIZO

Letter to the Editor of the Sunday Times, by ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley

Monday, 20 August 2001

The Editor
Sunday Times


Dear Sir,

RE: YOUNGSTERS COPY TV SHOW'S SEX - YIZO YIZO


In the Sunday Times 12 Aug 2001 it was reported that primary school
pupils as young as six have confessed to re-enacting scenes of rape and
sodomy from the controversial TV series Yizo Yizo. These are not
isolated cases only in KZN, and I personally know of a pre-school in
Cape Town which is presently having to deal with similar devastating
occurrences with children even younger.

In March this year, during a sitting of the national assembly, I called
on the Council of Education Ministers to stop endorsing wickedness and
barbarianism, and start promoting programmes that positively influence
our children to be morally upright, responsible, respectful and
disciplined future leaders of our society.

Yizo Yizo was received in many sectors with outrage, especially from
concerned parents, who objected to the series that glamorise gangsters
and the culture of skipping school. At times like this it is easy to
question the commitment of the Department of Education to the campaign
of moral renewal that was championed by former President Mandela and
Deputy President Zuma. The Council of Education Ministers' approval of
Yizo Yizo, an opportunity for young people to discuss issues "openly and
frankly" is naïve and unacceptable.

My call in Parliament reminded the Council of Education Ministers that
some school children engage in bestiality, prostitution and gang rapes
during school hours, and that it would be wrong to glamorise this
behaviour by showing it on TV. Yizo Yizo has now in fact become a very
accessible "training manual" for all ages and this was unfortunately to
be expected.

The final straw is that it is taxpayers' money which is being used to
advertise sodomy, rape and murder on the public broadcaster. This is
despicable and strongly opposed by the majority of responsible parents
and citizens. Hopefully those who have not foreseen the damage being
done to our children will have their eyes opened by the facts and will
do something to stop it. This of course will only happen if these
incidents are reported on and I congratulate your reporter, Prega
Govender for bringing this matter to the public's attention.


Cheryllyn Dudley MP
African Christian Democratic Party