NEW U-12 GANG TRAINED TO SLAP MOTHERS

MBABANE – How far do you think your child can go to join a criminal gang that assures them of protection?

This is the question some children have to answer, but not only that, once they accept to join an emerging new gang, ‘Ama 10kg’,  they have to perform a shocking act, ‘slapping their mums’ or other acts that are criminal in nature.
‘Ama10kg’ gangsters are aged between seven and 11 years.

Investigations by Eswatini News reveal that the act of forcing a child to strike their own mother serves as a potent symbol of this psychological control, breaking down familial bonds and instilling a sense of absolute loyalty to the gang. It is understood that the initiation rituals extend beyond acts of physical violence.

Gang

Once inducted into the ‘Ama10kg’ gang, children are expected to adopt a distinct gang persona, a complete transformation of their identity. This includes a specific gait, a coded language and the acquisition of tattoos, all serving as visible markers of their allegiance. They learn to communicate in a way that excludes outsiders, allowing them to gossip about their crimes and plan future activities without fear of detection.

The impact of this early exposure to gang life is devastating. A former gang member, now a student at the University of Eswatini, recounted his experience of being recruited as a teenager at KaKhoza. Bhuti Zweli Ntshangase described a life of petty crime escalating into serious offences, culminating in a string of robberies committed under the cover of darkness. “Our role models were criminals,” he admitted, highlighting the lack of positive influences in his community.

This publication can reveal that a chilling wave of juvenile gang activity is sweeping through Eswatini, often referred to as a ‘peaceful nation’. With the emergence of the ‘Ama10kg’ gang, gangsterism is now being used to ensnare children as young as seven.

Disturbing

This disturbing trend, revealed at a recent workshop hosted by the Eswatini Association for Crime Prevention and the Rehabilitation of Offenders (ESACRO), exposes a calculated strategy to exploit vulnerable youth, transforming them into hardened criminals through brutal initiation rites and psychological manipulation.

The workshop organised by the Eswatini Prison Fellowship, attended by law enforcement, community leaders, and pupils from four different schools, painted a grim picture of the tactics employed by the child gangs. Also present were members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). Police officer Khetsi Maseko, from the Crime Prevention Unit, detailed how these gangs prey on children.

Maseko said one of the tactics the gangsters use to recruit more children is taking advantage of their vulnerability. She said some children could be bullied at school and that by joining the gangs, they feel that they could be protected.

Violent

While the gangs offer them a life of safety, ultimately, the children find themselves committing violent crimes. Narrating, Maseko revealed how one of the acts of violence involved a young boy called Juba, ordered to physically assault his bully in front of gang members.

The assault, intended as a demonstration of loyalty, was deemed insufficient, leading to further violence against the victim. Juba was subsequently coerced into participating in a housebreaking, a clear escalation of his criminal involvement.

This pattern of manipulation extends beyond physical violence. Children are being indoctrinated into a culture of fear and obedience, their moral compass distorted by the gang’s twisted ideology.

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