The South African Police Service in partnership with North West Provincial Government, Mahikeng Local Municipality and Motsweding FM will be engaged in an anti rape campaign. The Ambassadors of Goodwill Campaign will be held on the 25 April 2013 in Mahikeng at the Mmabatho Convention centre, at 10h00.

The campaign started as a result of numerous incidents of rape that are continuously reported in the North West Province on daily basis.

A march that will comprise of senior citizens (gogos) and junior citizens (children) of the North West will march 100 meters from Mmabana to where they will hand the vulnerable people demands to the Premier of the Province Thandi Modise, and other Senior authorities at Mmabatho Convention Centre.

The list of demands, will entail, demands from gogos and children who are currently targeted by criminals who rapes them and leave them for dead. The SAPS with all strategic partners and Motsweding FM decided to stage this event as a call for Action. Talking has proven to be cheap over a period of time as rapists continue to prey over elderly people and children.

This comes after numerous incidents of rape were continuously reported in the North West Province. 

The rape of 11 years old Ofentse Mogale of Mmakau is a case in point that we have decided to use as the face of the campaign.

She was kidnapped, from her mother’s shack at night while asleep, and suffocated with a cloth in the mouth, and taken to a nearby shack by the parolee rapist who raped and suffocated the young innocent girl to her to death. She was later found by Police sniffer dogs buried under the bed in the 45 year old man’s shack 500 meters away from her home. The man was out on parole after serving 16 years of his 27 years sentence, for similar charges in 1995 when he broke into a house raped, robbed and murdered a lady in Brits.

The following is how the program will unfold at Mmabatho Convention Centre

Prayer sessions, Lighting of the candle, Poetry session, Gospel, Testimony from rape survivors and prisoners arrested for rapes, There will be a desk of FSC personnel to check on rape cases reported, and assist community members on the spot. There will be a DVD display of photos of identified rape victims, Launch of whistle blowing campaign , Distribution of pepper sprays to senior citizens, Performance by artists, Word from women of SAWID, Prayer for rape victims, Word from the kids, MEC of Human Settlement, Public Safety and Liaison, Mr. Maloyi, Minister of Police, Mr. Mthethwa and the North West Provincial Commissioner; Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo.

The campaign is based on Ambassadors of Goodwill, who shares the pain of vulnerable people who are victims of rape and wants to see an end in this gross violation of women rights. These ambassadors made it possible to host the event by donating in kind, for the campaign to be a success. Amongst the donations that the project needs for sustainability going forward is the Anti Rape Boards, that will be erected in many arrears of the North West with massages condemning rape. Pepper sprays and whistles will be launched as part of the whistle campaign to encourage communities to come together when a victim of crime blows a whistle signaling danger, this is seen as a great endeavor to prevent rape from occurring. Good ambassadors will also assist in the donation of a house, a solid structure to the Ofentse Mogale’s family. The house is a fundamental basic security feature in the security of any family. Ofentse Mogale was abducted in a shack and it was easy for the perpetrator to gain entry. Ambassadors who will volunteer to look after the vulnerable groups in the North West towns and villages will be sought, to be volunteers who takes the responsibility to care for the elders and kids living in instable homes. The project is just going to be launched in Mahikeng, and the crusade will move through the North West province.

Media, and the public is invited to attend this event.

The Theme of the Campaign is Tirisano Mmogo, Unite Against Rape!!