Saturday, May 18, 2013
Interact Fairmont shines
We would like to thank the Rotary Interact Group at Fairmont High School for their continued support. They donated bags full of goodies needed for the comfort pack project!
Serial Rape Investigation Course Gauteng
In April Matla A Bana hosted 3 days of Investigation of Serial Rape (with the help of Brig Labuschange) for 25 FCS Detectives stationed the GT Provincial Office - this task team will be responsible for the investigation of serial rape cases.
Thank you to Rosebank Union Church for sponsoring the venue and catering.
Thank you to Rosebank Union Church for sponsoring the venue and catering.
THE DEDICATION OF FCS DETECTIVES
Johannesburg - For months they would lie in wait at dumping areas around Joburg, dressed in worn-out and dirty overalls pretending to be peasants.
In the early hours of the morning, late at night, in the freezing cold or in pouring rain, Warrant Officer Morake Khoali, Captain Maria Mokhele, constables Leutsoa Mofokeng and Jerry Khambule, from the Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Vereeniging, would be there.
They would roam around, pretending to be looking for items around the rubbish dumps, while they were in fact hoping to catch two men travelling in a minibus taxi and raping women at dumping sites around the Vaal area.
The men’s first rapes of the day were between 3am and 6am.
Any woman who was by herself on the road and who flagged down their taxi between those times was their target.
Their second rapes of the day took place in the evening; the last woman in the taxi was their victim. They would park their taxi and take turns raping the woman and leave her there naked, or throw her out while the taxi was moving.
Their reign of terror continued for eight months, from January 2008.
The officers were frustrated when their stakeouts at the places where the rapes were committed never bore any fruit and, in the meantime, the rapes were getting out of control.
They were unable to focus on anything else. They never rested. They neglected their families. They slept at their offices and out at dumping sites. Their informants didn’t have any information. None of the victims had managed to take the registration number of the minibus taxi; all they had was a description.
Another problem was that women were being raped in Orange Farm, Lenasia, Ennerdale, De Deur and Evaton, and it was therefore not known where exactly the rapists were operating from.
As the rapes mounted, the officers approached the taxi industry for help.
“We got a lot of problems there, some taxi bosses did not want to help,” Khoali recalled.
One taxi operator stepped forward, though. He told the police that he knew the taxi they wanted and what its normal route was.
Just as the police were getting excited about the lead, they arrived at the office to hear that the men had just raped their 52nd victim.
With the information from the taxi informant, the last victim and her father, who is also in the taxi industry, the police were able to make an arrest the next day.
By the time the matter went to court, 27 of the women were willing to proceed with the case and the others had withdrawn the charges, saying they did not want their families to know about the rapes.
The trial lasted three years and the State had more than 200 witnesses.
On March 13, 2012, Boitumelo Galubetse was sentenced to 780 years and 51 life sentences, while his friend Bongani Madlala got 49 life sentences and 780 years.
The victims, their parents and the community were so touched by the dedication of the officers to the case that they threw a party on Saturday to thank them.
Malekhotla Mofokeng, a mother of one of the victims, had tears in her eyes as she described the journey from when her daughter was raped until the matter was finally completed.
“It was a difficult and painful journey we were on and we thought it important, as parents and victims, to show gratitude,” she said.
Khoali said this was one of the most difficult cases he had ever worked on. “There were times when I did not go inside the court because it was too painful. The victims would be crying while testifying and the accused would be sitting there, laughing at them.
“On the other hand, the lawyers would be attacking them… it was too painful to watch. I thank God that we got them before they killed anyone,” he said.
The Star
In the early hours of the morning, late at night, in the freezing cold or in pouring rain, Warrant Officer Morake Khoali, Captain Maria Mokhele, constables Leutsoa Mofokeng and Jerry Khambule, from the Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Vereeniging, would be there.
They would roam around, pretending to be looking for items around the rubbish dumps, while they were in fact hoping to catch two men travelling in a minibus taxi and raping women at dumping sites around the Vaal area.
The men’s first rapes of the day were between 3am and 6am.
Any woman who was by herself on the road and who flagged down their taxi between those times was their target.
Their second rapes of the day took place in the evening; the last woman in the taxi was their victim. They would park their taxi and take turns raping the woman and leave her there naked, or throw her out while the taxi was moving.
Their reign of terror continued for eight months, from January 2008.
The officers were frustrated when their stakeouts at the places where the rapes were committed never bore any fruit and, in the meantime, the rapes were getting out of control.
They were unable to focus on anything else. They never rested. They neglected their families. They slept at their offices and out at dumping sites. Their informants didn’t have any information. None of the victims had managed to take the registration number of the minibus taxi; all they had was a description.
Another problem was that women were being raped in Orange Farm, Lenasia, Ennerdale, De Deur and Evaton, and it was therefore not known where exactly the rapists were operating from.
As the rapes mounted, the officers approached the taxi industry for help.
“We got a lot of problems there, some taxi bosses did not want to help,” Khoali recalled.
One taxi operator stepped forward, though. He told the police that he knew the taxi they wanted and what its normal route was.
Just as the police were getting excited about the lead, they arrived at the office to hear that the men had just raped their 52nd victim.
With the information from the taxi informant, the last victim and her father, who is also in the taxi industry, the police were able to make an arrest the next day.
By the time the matter went to court, 27 of the women were willing to proceed with the case and the others had withdrawn the charges, saying they did not want their families to know about the rapes.
The trial lasted three years and the State had more than 200 witnesses.
On March 13, 2012, Boitumelo Galubetse was sentenced to 780 years and 51 life sentences, while his friend Bongani Madlala got 49 life sentences and 780 years.
The victims, their parents and the community were so touched by the dedication of the officers to the case that they threw a party on Saturday to thank them.
Malekhotla Mofokeng, a mother of one of the victims, had tears in her eyes as she described the journey from when her daughter was raped until the matter was finally completed.
“It was a difficult and painful journey we were on and we thought it important, as parents and victims, to show gratitude,” she said.
Khoali said this was one of the most difficult cases he had ever worked on. “There were times when I did not go inside the court because it was too painful. The victims would be crying while testifying and the accused would be sitting there, laughing at them.
“On the other hand, the lawyers would be attacking them… it was too painful to watch. I thank God that we got them before they killed anyone,” he said.
The Star
Old Mutual Run for more than yourself
Old Mutual nominated MAB as one of the beneficiaries of this campaign. Ryan O'Connor also ran for MAB! Nearly R28 000 was raised with this project!
Friday, April 19, 2013
New partnership with UJ
MAB did a presentation to the Students at the Department of Strategic Communication at UJ. This group is going to help MAB with a communications plan! We are very excited about this partnership. Not only do we hope to win the young people over to our cause, but we know that their creative talents will help us get our important messages across.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Absa supports Xtreme rider
Absa, proud title sponsor of the Absa Cape Epic, is honoured to
donate the sum of R 50 000.00 to Matla
A Bana on behalf of Bert van der Walt. Bert is a valued employee of Absa who
cycled from Johannesburg to Cape Town for this cause, and shortly thereafter
participated in and successfully completed the world’s toughest mountain bike
race, the Absa Cape Epic, in a continued effort to raise awareness for the
fight against child abuse. Well done, Bert, we are proud of you and your
tenacious display of the Human Spirit!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
New Facebook site
Please show your support by liking our new Facebook site.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matla-A-Bana/226641587461162
Gauteng gets another room
With the financial help from Old Mutual Foundation, MAB could implement a child-friendly room at the Benoni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences SAPS unit. This was long due and we would like to thank Old Mutual for the continued assistance.
Bellville Court therapy room done!
MAB this week completed the work at Bellville court and the therapy room. The initial work was started by Absa volunteers and yesterday MAB staff added the final touches. This is part of the MAB trauma project, sponsored by Grand West Casino, Dischem Foundation and Interkaap.
Monday, March 25, 2013
From afar we get help
It is so great to get a phone call and be informed that someone from very far has heard about a project and would like to help. Karen, who is here all the way from Australia to work as a volunteer at an orphanage, met with Monique and donated two bags stuffed with goodies for the comfort packs. We would like to thank both Karen and Megan who set up the meeting!!! Hope Karen will spread the message when she is back in Australia!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
XTREME TEAM
CALLIE, IVAN ZIMMERMAN AND BERT
MAB was there in full support when Bert and Beyers completed the Cape Epic. Despite his serious fall and bad injury on the first day, Bert continued and managed to raise an additional R 55 000 for the MAB. There is much talk about doing the Xtreme Tour and the Cape Argus for MAB again next year. We have managed to find the first three entries already!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
KEEP ON SHOPPING!
Your shopping will not only benefit you, but will also help us! We would like to thank all the staff at Groupon for donating funds towards our project. A cheque of R 3000 was handed over to Monique. And that is not all - boxes full of goodie donations we will share with our partner charities!
So if you want to help - keep on shopping!
(And thanx to MAB supporter, Kirsten, for telling everyone about us!)
Monday, March 18, 2013
Budding artists help us!
A group of senior managers from Absa had no idea that they were so talented when it comes to art, until they undertook to paint two rooms for MAB. What makes it even more special is that most of these volunteers are men! Last Friday, two groups of AIFA division at ABSA took some time off to paint murals on the walls of the trauma room at Bellville court and the assessment room and reception area at the Paarl SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences unit. Some of them painted each other and some even painted some other areas (like the entrance to the court - a tin of paint fell!!!). But even with all the challenges the artwork came out beautifully and they have made a huge contribution in helping us minimizing the secondary abuse the child suffers when reporting the crime.
Thank you to Anton and your team!
Monday, March 11, 2013
LIONS HERO OF THE YEAR AWARD
We are happy to announce that the work done by Matla A Bana is not going unnoticed! On Saturday, COO Monique Strydom, won the Lions International District 410A (Western & Northern Cape and Namibia) the Hero of the Year Award. She was chosen from 10 nominees and was recognized for founding Matla A Bana and her continued dedication to this charity.
In her speech Monique stated that not only the nominees, but also each and every Lions volunteer are heroes because they have chosen to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Monique also thanked all the MAB volunteers, the officers of the law, the doctors, Lizel Van Eeden (project manager Gauteng), her family and God (for giving her a second chance)
Xtremeforkids and the Argus
The Xtremeforkids cyclists arrived in Durbanville after an easy ride from Wolseley. This group faced many challenges, met many great people, reached more than 8000 children and cycled more than 1800 kms for Matla A Bana. They were supported by SAPS all the way down - either with escorts, joining them at schools and evening cycling with them. They were welcomed in Cape Town by General Jephta who received a letter of commitment on behalf of the WC Provincial Commissioner.
A day later they joined the MAB Argus team and 16 cyclists cycled on behalf of MAB. We would like to congratulated Andre and Casper for making the top 10 in the tandem division and Andries who coming second in the hand cycle division. We would also like to thank all our cyclists and sponsor for your dedication. A special word of thank you to Karli who was the project manager on the ground with the team.
See all the photos and read more on the tour on http://www.facebook.com/XtremeforkidsCycleTour
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