Inside South Africa's Youth Reformatories (2001)

Reformatory Boys (2001) - For juvenile offenders, reformatory is the last stop when all else has failed. We enter the secret world of a South African reformatory, a place where inmates use violence and blackmail to jostle for power.

On the recommendation of their arresting officer and the Commissioner of Child Welfare, the court sends heroin addicts Jurie (14) and Eric (17) to Ethokomala Reformatory. It is their very last chance to break free from the life that has imprisoned them. For the first time in their short lives the boys' days are strictly regimented and they are back in school for the first time in two years, their movements supervised round the clock. They have now been off heroin for more than 4 months but this does not mean they have been rehabilitated psychologically and emotionally. Will reformatory discipline may not be enough to help them once they are sent back to Pretoria? For Eric and Jurie it may be a very temporary respite from the unpredictable demands of the street.

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SABC Special Assignment – Ref. 1168

[dominicvandermerwe]

I used to be in that same life. I feel them. I used to steal and run streets of Jozi and Cape town, but after prison and support from loved ones was able to find a path forward in my life.

[seriousstrawberry]

These are the days of real journalism when no one pulled wool over our eyes. We are walking around like sheep not knowing how bad things are put there for innocent kids.

[pietervermaak]

Piet Uys, you have a heart of gold. Not sure if you are still alive but bless you brother

[carolmk]

Poverty is ugly, everything about it is ugly. Even if the mother wanted to be a good mother there is no way she can when she needs to hustle for survival. It's a cycle that will repeat itself until economic reform happens.

[chriswilliamoneil]

Back then, people will look at you in a strange way if you did drugs, today they look at you in a strange way if you DONT do drugs.

[Orion]

A quality piece of journalism, this. From SABC's Special Assignment team. Thank you. Fast-forward by 20 years ( to the year 2021 ), one can only imagine the living conditions in those reformatories. If it was heartbreaking in 2001, imagine what it must be like today, during the COVID-19 era...

[tommyrin]

Pete is a true Godly man.
Almost cried with him.

[MareeStonems]

The boy holding his stuffed monkey breaks my bloody heart. ☹️

[pietbliksem]

Just a pity it is so dated. I would like to see how it is now in 2019, 18 years later. Back then the social services infrastructure of South Africa was still pretty much intact.

[stefanosmakrides]

that was in imagining what things are like now I will tell you as I live in is a BILLION! times worse

[farida]

I was at a reformatory school, Atlantis Nywerheidskool, if it was not for the grace of the Lord I do not know where I could have been.

I was sent there because of bunking school for three years. Today I am married 20 years with two kids.

I am a lecturer at one of our South African Universities.

I saw all my sins when a group of gangsters wanted to murder me I called out to the Lord and He altered time in a way that I escaped those gangsters.

I gave my life to Christ when I was 14 at the reformatory school.

I thank God for my life. These schools does not help all. Some kids even committed suicide. Give your lives to Christ, its the only way.

Voel baie jammer vir die laaities.

[strongsus]

I went through so much of the same things they did, being female . . I just saw another side of it as well, but I ended up in Reformatory school, then (min-jail) 'verbetering skool' Tokai Cape town, and then a few times in jail... also 6 weeks for being caught with my then dealer boyfriend, I didn't think of family way back then, I just kept running away with the chain of thought that - I don't matter and bugger them all... - I was and still am EXTREMELY lucky to still be alive. I am 41 now and had such a huge epiphany 2 nights ago, never something I ever believed in because I even blamed God most of my life. I felt every word they said as if it was me going through it. Thanks for sharing this.

[anne-audetteroux]

This is honestly just sad as a South African how a 14 year old is a drug addict

[y.r]

I'm a teacher and work with kids that has similar issues, poverty, broken homes, abuse and some are also involved in crimes. It's really sad and it seems like these kids have no way of living an normal life. It's heartbreaking to hear their stories. Most of the time the parents are not in a position to even help themselves. It feels like a hopeless situation, but i always remind my students that this is not forever. Education is a way out. Try to do your best at school so you can get a good job and start your own life. Its very important to me that kids are happy, comfortable and feel safe in my class.

[gaylepeel]

Say what u like, I will always be gratefully that Canada took my 3 little daughters and I in 1992. Best thing I ever did for my kids. They have flourished. I have volluteered with the homeless, drug addicted and mentally ill here. Compassion. My way of giving back. I am blessed and practice gratitude. Bless u all. From an old Bluff, Durbanite xxx

[joshuatelem]

It would be great if we could get an update on them and even a new documentary.

[kitty-rpbg]

No matter skin colour....drugs kill...God bless protect these children...

[fgggfffg]

Most people in the World have a notion that all white folk in SA are wealthy but you can see from this video it is not the case

[hazelpony]

Wonder what happened to these two boys. Heartbreaking even in 2021. I hope they are still alive.

[chrisimil]

God bless these young men I hope they are doing well and alive here in 2019