Truth behind the shocking reality

I commented on the Joburg episode and I got a reply.......a justification but it was more..........it was why such things happened!! Pls read on if you want to know more on this.

Yes!!
It is shocking. At least it was when I first encountered all this here in Joburg. But when such things happen on a daily basis, it has a way of growing on you. Sometimes I wonder if I've become insensitive..there was a time when I refused to even believe these things & then a time when any such news haunted me for days on end...yet today these things dont bother me as much as they did before. If such was the case with me, as an outsider then I wonder if the native people can be blamed for their apparent callousness. I am not trying to justify what's happening here. But pls read on....
South Africa has a troubled, oppressed history. It is believed that homosapiens first walked here in present day South Africa, at least 100000 years ago. When this territory was first colonised, it was chiefly filled with Bushmen & tribal groups. Since 1500AD to present day the indegenous people have been opressed by invading nations who introduced many diseases, racism & extreme exploitative social systems, reaching its peak during the apartheid era where 20% of whites were given 90% of land and 8% for black occupancy. The opression that they underwent is simply unimaginable.
When the balcks finally acheieved freedom in 1994, they had already been racially subjugated at least for a couple of milleniums. Can you imagine the anger and frustration of the people? They are even now caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, lack of education, eroded values and all the evils that come with it like drinking, gambling, stealing & violent crimes. According to Interpol, South Africa had the world's highest murder rate, around five times higher than that of the second-highest country Brazil in 2002.
The government to some extent takes care of the financial needs with lots of grants & reservations. But the society needs much much more than that. Young children who grow up in communities of unemployed, uneducated, drinking, gambling parents would be frustrated beyond measure & will follow the example set. So will their kids. This vicious cycle has to be broken & it is going to take many many many more generations to right the wrongs of two milleniums.
I donot know if it makes sense to you. Well, the point I am trying to make is that 'Let us not be too quick to judge the other'. There is more to an apalling story than meets the eye.


-----Original Message-----
From:
To:
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2005 12:51:01 +0530
Subject: Re: Is this true?

My God!!!
Where r we going?
Its shocking!!! Very much indeed............
Why don't they educate the people properly? At least the next generation should be better.......becos they have suffered..........Oh, but with so much happening, where is going to be the NEXT GENERATION?? There isn't going to be one in SA, I guess..........
I now know how much education and moral values that we r being taught in our families and schools, society have helped us shape into good individuals to fit into the society.........
Anyway, I will publish this in my blog page.........so atleast a few get to read it..............Thanks a lot for your reply!!!

Well..........thanks, my friend!! I'll take care of your comment.

Joburg - Shocking reality

Below is a forward that I got and my action towards it. Initially, I tried to ignore it, but just out of curiosity I read the fwd and it was shocking. I mailed a friend to know the truth behind the fwd......it was.......I don't have words to write down my emotions!!
Pls do go ahead, read and think how we can prevent such situations!

Yes!
It is absolutely true. There is an ill-informed belief here in South Africa that having sex with a virgin cures aids.
In 2001, Baby Tshepang who was 9 months old was raped & it shocked the world. Though at that time it was believed that she was gang raped, in truth it was a single person, who is now serving life term. He hasnt spoken a word, so no one knows why he raped the child & he refused to undergo HIV testing. It is believed that he did it to get back at Baby's 16yr old mother(a child herself), who refused to have sex with him. The baby is now alive and in foster care.
In 2001 alone, 11 babies under a year old were reportedly raped and more than 25 000 South African children were raped or sexually abused, according to South African Police Service statistics. (http://www.women24.com/Women24/Life/BodySoul/Article/0,7173,1-2-4-62_8039,00.html). If u r interested, pls check out the above link.
I havent heard so far, any news abt closing off of the Child Protection Unit. There has been nothing in the local news. So I am not sure if it is true. South Africa is now in the middle of "16 days activism of no violence against women and children" yet on Saturday, 04th December a 13 month old baby was raped.
"South Africa, a country with the highest incidence of rape and child rape in the world, has 19.94, or approximately one in nine of its 41 million population infected with HIV/Aids... With an average of five children raped every hour of every day, of every week, of every year,Nearly 60 children are raped every day in South Africa... 21,000 child rapes, and some 37,000 adult rapes, were reported in South Africa last year... Children under 11 are the victims in 15% of all rapes in South Africa, according to police statistics. While child rape is becoming increasingly common all over the world, infant rape (rape of babies less than 5 yrs old) is unique to South Africa. (http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2002/april/virgin.htm)
Also check out this BBC website : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/1703595.stm
According to statistics from the Legal Aid Board SA, a woman is raped every 23 seconds in South Africa, and 58 children are raped every day.
That is the grim picture. Joburg is the rape capital of the world!!!!


-----Original Message-----
From: SowKan
To:
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2005 15:50:06 +0530
Subject: Is this true?

Before I forward it to many ppl, just wanted to know the credibility behind such a forward................hope u'll be able to help!

12/07/2005 03:26 PM
Subject Fw: Do not delete

Dear All
Last week a 3 year old girl (in Athlone) was beaten and raped. She is still alive.. The man responsible has been released on bail yesterday. He is walking the streets .........What is this world coming to?
Friends, if you are too busy to read this then just sign your name and forward this.
The Government is planning to close the child protection unit and this is a petition against it!!
This is a very important petition. It is an essential part of our justice system for children. You may have already heard that there's a myth in South Africa that having sex with a virgin will cure AIDS. The younger the virgin, the more potent the cure!
This has led to an epidemic of rapes by infected males, with the correspondent infection of innocent kids. Many have died in these cruel rapes.
Recently in Africa, a 9-month-old baby was raped by 6 men. The child abuse situation is now reaching catastrophic proportions and if we don't do something, then who will?
Kindly add your name to the bottom of the list and please pass this on to as many people as you know. Please don't just leave it! Cut and paste (do not forward) so this can stay tidy. If you are signature no.: 120, 240, 360, 480, 600, 720, 840, 960, etc. - please forward the mail-list to:
childprotectpca@saps.org.za
Please don't be complacent, do something about the kids of Africa. You can make a difference! That child is fighting for life. This is just 1 of the million cases of child abuse, so please pledge your support and help keep CPU (CHILD PROTECTION UNIT) open. Please give your support to the petition and ensure that it goes to as many people as possible.

And below was a list of names..............