Pretoria - North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Desbo Mohono, has called for the implementation of the Integrated Provincial Strategy to reduce and combat sexual offences to be intensified.
The call follows an increase in rape cases - 3 586 cases of rape were reported in the province during the 2010/2011 financial year.
The Integrated Provincial Strategy is linked to the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), which coordinates crime prevention initiatives to ensure that communities enjoy good community police relations.
The objective of the NCPS is to also restore confidence in the ability of government to provide accessible, efficient, effective, accountable, transformed and reliable services.
Launched by Provincial Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster stakeholders in November last year during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, the provincial strategy meant to address the challenge of skewed distribution of services and resources concentrated in urban areas to the disadvantage of rural communities.
It also aims to decrease sexual offences and the number of reported rape incidents by 7% over three years.
The six priorities of the strategy include prevention, early intervention, responses of the criminal justice system, victim support and service provision, research and information and an integrated and collaborative approach.
Mohono also called on the Progressive Women's Movement, organised labour, churches, other faith based organisations, traditional leaders, non-government organisations, women and youth groups to be part of the implementation process of the strategy to prevent and combat sexual offences.
"Government alone cannot succeed to eradicate the scourge of abuse of women and child abuse, it needs active support and participation of all stakeholders in order for the campaign to reach all rural communities," Mohono said.
She also reiterated her call to the business sector to adopt and support programmes by municipalities towards the implementation of the crime prevention through environmental design strategy, which complements the Integrated Provincial Strategy to prevent and combat sexual offences.
"Our activism and collaborative effort should teach male chauvinists that culture, tradition and religion should no longer be used as excuses to suppress and undermine human dignity and violate the right of women and children in the society.
"...We can do more to take this year's campaign to a higher level as part of implementing the 365 days plan of action adopted after the 10 year review of the campaign in 2009."
Mohono condemned the gang-rape and assault of a 17-year-old girl allegedly by six men at Magogong village in Taung on Friday and called upon communities to assist police in their investigations so that all the suspects who took part in the "shameful act" are put behind bars for the law to take its course.
