Sipho joined a gang the Imprisoned hoping that he could learn how to protect himself from George and his group of bullies

knew what they were doing – I and everyone else at the school – but they were left to rampage in peace, no one standing up to their outrages behavior as they savaged with apparent immunity. We were all equally guilty – guilty as George and his fellow perpetrators. We should have stood up to them collectively, nipped their aggression in the bud, put them in their place. But now he is dead, poor Sipho is dead. It all started a few years back when George and his parents ran out of petrol near the squatter camp where Sipho lived, George’s father asked for directions to the nearest petrol station and Sipho didn’t know, how could he know? His family didn’t own a car. Ever since that day George has had a ginormous grudge on Sipho because George ended up waiting thirty minutes for help to arrive. It seemed rather stupid, hating someone over a lack of knowledge. But it doesn’t matter any more because later that year Sipho joined a gang the “ Imprisoned” hoping that he could learn how to protect himself from George and his group of bullies, but he was wrong. The gang was more than just a self-defense club, they stole from helpless old ladies and cripple men, before Sipho could join, he had to prove himself worthy. The Gang leader “Wolf” told him to go to the nearest Pick n Pay and steal all the money from the cash registers. When Sipho refused, “Wolf” took out his pistol and shot him in the heart. He died instantly and the Gang disposed of his poor body. There lay Sipho, dead, on the walkway of one of Soweto’s busiest roads. Soon to be recovered by the Soweto police and given to his family for the burial. It sad how one day, one moment, one decision, can change a life, or in this case end a life. The bully George did not see that tantalizing Sipho would lead to his death, to him it was just lunch money, but he doesn’t know that Sipho would go without food and transport without it. All Sipho wanted was to learn how to fight back and that got him murdered. If only George knew that Sipho’s death was a consequence of his mistreatment. By: Sheldon Hamilton 9K