Thuthuzeleka Radio Drama Series

The Thuthuzeleka drama is a crime/thriller story , which follows detective Busi Ncube as she goes undercover at a secondary school to find a serial rapist. She works alongside Ma Elise, site coordinator for the local Thuthuzela Care Centre, as she follows clues to find the rapist, while trying to help support her new friend Thandi through the process of reporting, medical examination, and giving a statement following a sexual assault. Thandi’s brother Thabo struggles with his own problems, just when his sister needs him most.

Each 15-minute episode includes practical information, such as what steps to take following a sexual assault, while also challenging negative attitudes and misconceptions that surround sexual violence. "In a society where rape is very prevalent, the story tells each rape survivor that they are not alone – help, care and support is available. Every woman – and man who experiences rape – should report it. Furthermore, it calls on South Africans to take a stand against rape."

The stories and characters of Thuthuzeleka were developed after a formative research process that outlined key information to convey, attitudes to challenge, and behaviours to encourage. The characters were created so that their experiences demonstrate that every person can stand up against violence, and help support survivors in their healing process. As part of the story development, the detailed story outlines with scene by scene summaries were reviewed by partners and experts, including representatives from radio and Thuthuzela Care Centres who provided insights and suggested changes to ensure relevance and to maximise the impact of the message.

The radio drama is available in English, isiZulu, SeSotho, and Tshivenda. It is being distributed to community radio stations in close proximity to Thuthuzela Care Centres, along with a promotional trailer, original theme music, and a printed discussion guide which is intended for radio presenters, discussion facilitators, teachers in schools, community groups, and anyone using the drama to encourage dialogue. The discussion guide includes the following:

• episode summaries;
• discussion questions for facilitators, teachers, and drama facilitators;
• ideas for radio shows – topics for more in-depth reporting and discussions;
• background information about sexual violence; and
• contacts for more information.

Click here to listen to episodes of the drama.

Sexually violence, HIV/AIDS, Gender based violence

According to Sonke Gender Justice, "finding the right statistics on rape is difficult. Available statistics are inconsistent and lack context. Women’s groups in South Africa estimate that a woman is raped every 26 seconds, while the South African Police Service estimates that a woman is raped every 36 seconds. However, rape in South Africa is a real problem that needs to be tackled seriously."

The Thuthuzeleka drama is part of Sonke’s ongoing community radio project (a component of a joint 5-year project implemented by Sonke, Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, the Medical Research Council, the Foundation for Professional Development, and the National Prosecuting Authority Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit), which is working with radio stations near Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) throughout the country.