Jane Furse march raises awareness on rape

JANE Furse police commander, Simon Phetla warned would be rapists that the community would deal with them by reporting them to the police.

He was speaking at an awareness march, Limpopo Men say No to Rape, that was organised by Capricorn FM in partnership with Makhuduthamaga Municipality in Jane Furse on Saturday.

Phetla said it was the responsibility of each citizen to play a role in the fight against rape. He said people who hide rape to protect perpetrators because they are family members or friends are guilty of defeating the ends of justice.

He said people should work with the police to fight crime and rape and they should refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

Phetla challenged women to stop protecting their marriages by concealing rape in their homes. “If your husband has raped a child at home, report the matter and stop protecting him in the name of your marriages.

Let us all take personal charge of our security, he said.

Speaking on behalf of the municipality, acting mayor Lilian Ntseni used the event to warn women to stay away from abusing alcohol because some men take advantage of women when they are drunk.

“Some men will offer to buy you drinks in return for sex and when you refuse, they will rape you. We are fully behind this march and we are saying to men, please be the ambassadors of change and fight against this scourge,” she said.

Capricorn FM marketing executive, Ntsieni Ramabulana told the marchers the station felt the need to stand up and be involved in the fight against rape.

“We realised that our sisters are living in fear of men and that is why we decided to bring this march here,” he said.

Ramabulana encouraged men take responsibility by becoming protectors in their communities