The struggle continues…

Tuesday, Sep 22, 2009

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The Community

This is the story of a community in East London in crisis. Residents of Cocobana at the East London Race Track eke out an existence, far removed from the leafy suburbs towards the city’s beaches.

It’s a complex situation and deals with more than just poverty.

Many of Cocobana’s residents are living a life of hopelessness mired by drugs and alcohol.

Though residents speak fondly of the natural beauty and tranquility of the area, nestled in the centre of the East London Race Track, they claim that the dismal attitudes of residents plunged the community into the dodgy depths of drug-abuse, alcoholism and unemployment.

This destructive cycle of escapism most affects the young Cocobana inhabitants.

Most youths are unemployed, some are involved in drinking or drugs – most seem to have more than the usual dose of pubescent attitude, some have fallen pregnant and others have been in jail.

Cocobana is a community seemingly living on the edge of despair. – Catherine Sackville-Scott and Simone Peinke

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