16 Nov 2024

Tsabong District Council has started a campaign dubbed 'Hashtag; Tlogelang  Makgela a Butswe' aimed at combating the growing number of defilement cases in the district.

Deputy Council Secretary for operations, Mr Mogolodi Modibu said the district had experienced a surge in the number of defilement cases, hence the need to raise awareness and sensitise communities about the social ill which threatens to destroy children's development.

Speaking during the campaign's launch at Tsabong kgotla yesterday, he revealed that since 2022 to date the district had recorded a total of 97 cases of defilement.

He further said they have recorded in that period 18 child neglect cases and 14 rape cases.

He said Tsabong and Werda were leading in the district in terms of the number of cases, adding that it was worrisome that the frequency of cases had increased at an alarming rate.

Mr Modibu cautioned that defilement and child neglect had far reaching consequences on victims and the society.

He therefore said it was critical to develop a psycho-social support and intervention strategy, and reach out to communities to combat the social ill.

He said the council has also received disturbing reports that  parents  encouraged their children under 18 years to engage in early sexual relations with older men, in order for the men to provide for their families. ENDS