THOHOYANDOU – In an attempt to educate the community about the alarming incidents of rape in its jurisdiction, the Thohoyandou Police Station will hold a workshop in the station commissioner's office on March 4.

According to Insp Tshino Ramadolela, the workshop will also be attended by the MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison Dikeledi Magadzi and the provincial Commissioner, Ngwedzeni Sengani.

Communities policed by the Thohoyandou police station such as Maniini, Itsani, Thohoyandou, Muledane, Tshisaulu, Tswinga, Manamani, Mbaleni, Mphego and others will also attend the workshop.

Ramadolela said people would be discouraged from protecting rapists. They will also try to remove the myth that rapists can get cured from HIV/AIDS if they sleep with young children or elderly people.

Ramadolela said it was estimated that more than 35% of rape cases go unreported in their area. Many of the reported cases occurred in the Thohoyandou and Maniini areas, he said.

However, the rate of reported rape cases has gone down since the arrest and sentencing of "GunMan" last year. See our story elsewhere in this edition.

Ramadolela said the workshop would be followed by a big campaign to be staged on March 22, at the Thohoyandou Stadium. Every community member is welcomed in this campaign, which will be followed by a soccer tournament.