Exploration of the narrative accounts of South African teachers working in a gang-violent community in the Western Cape

This article explores the narrative accounts of eight South African high-school teachers working in a gang-violent community in the Western Cape. In April 2002, eight interviews were conducted with eight teachers and transcripts were analysed using the life-story approach. The analysis revealed that the primary stress being experienced by teachers is related to the wider social and political contexts of gang violence in South Africa. In addition, two types of life stories were identified. In stories of reintegration, memories of traumatic events of gang violence had been transformed into meaningful experiences that could be integrated into the course of the teachers' life. In paralysed stories, episodes of gang violence remained a series of traumatic and random events. The analysis also focused on the effects that these two life stories had on coping, as well as on sense of coherence and social support. The aim of this article is to call attention to the importance of narrative in understanding and laying the groundwork for an intervention to enhance positive coping skills and to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder.