The deputy minister of police, Ms Mageline Sotyu, called on parents not to send their children to shebeens. She was in the area to officially start the national campaign, called Force is rape about two weeks ago.

Sotyu was in the company of Limpopo MEC for Safety Security and Liaison Fulufhelo Radzilani, Thulamela Mayor Grace Mahosi and Limpopo deputy police commissioner Gen Ntlemeza. The campaign started off with a march from the Calvary Christian Church to the local Tshifulanani Stadium. Led by the police brass band and different stakeholders displaying banners with messages denouncing crime, the procession marched for more than two kilometres to the stadium.

"As a nation, we need a concerted effort to fight and eradicate rape against children especially. Family members, community leaders, teachers and the government have a collective role to play to protect our children," said Sotyu.

The campaign coincided with the Limpopo province's launch of the Lupenyo (lightning strike) campaign, which was started by the Thohoyandou sector in the face of local challenges, including the mushrooming of shebeens in the area and the availability of illegal firearms.

The Lupenyo campaign was launched at the Calvary Christian centre while the Force is rape was later launched at the Tshifulanani Stadium.

Limpopo MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison Ms Florence Radzilani outlined her turnaround strategy to fight crime. “Without a collective and collaborative effort from our parents, our teachers, and our community members, the police alone will never win the battle. We are therefore advocating for a broader notion of safety and security that is not solely defined in policing terms, but a security of the most vulnerable that is defined in human terms,” she added.