SAPS address sexual offence issues

Correctional Services prison Wardress, Petunia Mokhotho, at Itireleng Institute for the Disabled addressing the community of Ga-Rankuwa about sexual offences. Picture by: Ofentse Ramatsetse

Ofentse Ramatsetse –

According to SAPS’ Social Crime Prevention Unit, warrant officer Bokaba, young children between the ages of three and eighteen years in the community of Ga-Rankuwa continue to be victims of sexual offences. Rape and sexual harassment are the main offences that affect most of them psychologically and in their studies.

Ga-Rankuwa SAPS’ Social Crime Prevention Unit saw a need to raise sexual awareness in the community of Ga-Rankuwa. They hosted a sexual awareness campaign at Itireleng Institution for the Disabled on Wednesday, 24 October in Ga-Rankuwa, Zone 2.

According to warrant officer Bokaba, the aim of hosting such an event emanates from the previous cases of sexual offences they had, particularly rape cases, which were very high for the past two months.

“The purpose of this project is to address issues of sexual offences, especially rape. I worked on a lot of rape cases in this community, nine to ten of them occurred in October. I had to give away some of the cases to relevant persons,” said Bokaba.

Mmakoša Phetla, a social worker from Rearabilwe Youth and Child Care Centre, said one of the issues that contributed to sexual offences was dysfunctional family relationship.

“Immediately when you have something dysfunctional in the family, the outcome will be dysfunctional as well, in this case, the child.” 

Rekord asked the Life Orientation teacher at Modiri Secondary School, Agnes Kekae, if she thought the reason many young people engage in sexual intercourse was because of curiosity and eagerness to practise what they’ve been taught in class.

“We do not teach learners on how to have or indulge in sex, but we address issues such as rape and other sexual offences with them; hence we’ve come to participate in this awareness so they see the importance of what we teach them in class,” she said.

The event was attended by Ga-Rankuwa Regional court Prosecutor, Regina Songwane; Correctional Services Prison Wardress, Petunia Mokhotho and different schools from around Ga-Rankuwa such as Holele High School, OSHAD School and Modiri Secondary School.

The entertainment was galore with many marvellous performances by Itireleng Band, The Beats and school choir led by Agnes Kekae.