DONTY KA OKAPI
Spaghetti Original Pantsula Club, an affiliate of the Botswana Pantsula Association, has launched the ‘Donty Ka Okapi’ campaign to minimise cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and abuse of drugs and alcohol in Francistown.
The club's Michael Ludick appealed to the youth during the campaign launch this past weekend to leave knives out of disputes in order to avoid stabbings.
According to Ludick, the club wants to clean the streets of Francistown and rid them of weapons that claim lives daily. They also intend to discourage the youth from carrying the Okapi knife especially at night in clubs, bars and music festivals.
“This is the first campaign in Botswana and it came after the realisation that some crimes are caused by the carrying of Okapi knives. Attacks and deaths from stabbings are worrisome as hospitals are overwhelmed by patients with life threatening knife wounds every weekend,” Ludick said, adding that they had to form the club after realising that a lot of young people are loitering the streets with idle minds. Thus they engage in many activities across the city such as cleaning campaigns, just to keep them busy.
Sub Inspector Agnes Kgomela of Kutlwano Police in Francistown expressed concern over the escalating fights that erupt at entertainment spots that usually lead to serious bodily harm or death by Okapi knives.
She stated that when doing regular stop and search patrols, they always find young men in possession of knives and other dangerous objects.
“A knife is the most used weapon in Francistown and surrounding areas, as we always record murder cases in which people die from knife stabbing and grievous bodily harm incidents. The majority of victims and perpetrators are youth, mostly men stabbing each other or stabbing their lovers,” Kgomela said.
Statistics from the police there indicate that there were 11 cases of unlawful wounding, 319 of GBV, three murder cases, 76 rape cases, 61 defilement cases, 115 assault common, and 28 threat to kill cases from January to March this year.
Francistown nominated Councillor, Modiri Lucas applauded the club for speaking out against the violent use of knives. He added that discipline among young people will result in the positive change within communities.
The club's Michael Ludick appealed to the youth during the campaign launch this past weekend to leave knives out of disputes in order to avoid stabbings.
According to Ludick, the club wants to clean the streets of Francistown and rid them of weapons that claim lives daily. They also intend to discourage the youth from carrying the Okapi knife especially at night in clubs, bars and music festivals.
“This is the first campaign in Botswana and it came after the realisation that some crimes are caused by the carrying of Okapi knives. Attacks and deaths from stabbings are worrisome as hospitals are overwhelmed by patients with life threatening knife wounds every weekend,” Ludick said, adding that they had to form the club after realising that a lot of young people are loitering the streets with idle minds. Thus they engage in many activities across the city such as cleaning campaigns, just to keep them busy.
Sub Inspector Agnes Kgomela of Kutlwano Police in Francistown expressed concern over the escalating fights that erupt at entertainment spots that usually lead to serious bodily harm or death by Okapi knives.
She stated that when doing regular stop and search patrols, they always find young men in possession of knives and other dangerous objects.
“A knife is the most used weapon in Francistown and surrounding areas, as we always record murder cases in which people die from knife stabbing and grievous bodily harm incidents. The majority of victims and perpetrators are youth, mostly men stabbing each other or stabbing their lovers,” Kgomela said.
Statistics from the police there indicate that there were 11 cases of unlawful wounding, 319 of GBV, three murder cases, 76 rape cases, 61 defilement cases, 115 assault common, and 28 threat to kill cases from January to March this year.
Francistown nominated Councillor, Modiri Lucas applauded the club for speaking out against the violent use of knives. He added that discipline among young people will result in the positive change within communities.
