THOHOYANDOU - The alarming increase rate in the rape of children in the country has prompted the Mbofho Traditional Healers (MTH) to declare war against all rapists.

MTH president, Mbulaheni Neluvhola said last week that they have decided to make 2002 a year to fight against rapists. He said that they have decided to take serious steps against rapists so that they can remove the myth that says that they are influencing people to sleep with young children in order to cure HIV/Aids.

"As traditional healers, we do not believe in destroying the society. Our responsibility as healers is to save and cure the nation. We are distancing ourselves from the belief that if you have sex with a young girl, you can be cured of Aids. That is totally against our believe and practices. Sleeping with a child is against our culture."

Neluvhola also urged the community members to help the police by exposing all rapists so that they could be prosecuted, while also urging the justice department to bring back the death penalty against all child rapists.

"We want the justice system to impose the death penalty on all child rapists, as they are destroying our nation. We believe the death penalty is the only solution, as these rapists are not scared of being kept in the cells where they are treated like kings. The death penalty is the only suitable punishment they deserve," said Neluvhola.