South African men rape over 500 000 women every year in South Africa. This is the sobering thought that well known SA Kwaito musician, television presenter and actor Zola leaves viewers with at the end of the latest 'Real Men don't Rape' commercial, which flighted for the first time at the weekend.

The latest 'Real Men don't Rape' advert was commissioned by Women Demand Dignity, Rape Crisis and the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture. The campaign has been running for the past six years and has featured well-known South African celebrities like Charlize Theron, Romeo Khumalo and Tinah Mnumzana.

The 45-second commercial shows Zola talking about all the great things that have happened in South Africa, including the recent rugby world cup win. Whilst talking to the camera, he is folding a South African flag, which he then puts away in drawer. Zola says he loves South Africa, but is not proud to be a South African man, because every year South African men rape 500 000 women.

The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) engineered the creative concept behind the campaign and critically acclaimed producer, Sheila Kubheka of Sub urban films produced the commercial. 'The Real Men don't Rape' advertisements are made at the cost of the advertising agency and production company, as a part of their ongoing commitment to create awareness regarding the shockingly high rape statistics in South Africa.

Creative Director of Jupiter Cape Town Livio Tronchin explains the rationale behind the commercial, "The temptation with an ad like this is to go with shock tactics, but we felt that wouldn't really get our message across. We wanted the ad to talk to men and get them to seriously think about their actions."

"One thing that's particularly topical at the moment is our flag. Everyone is displaying is proudly. The advert serves to challenge the pride that South Africa feels right now by showing a cool celebrity like Zola putting the flag away and blatantly saying that he is not proud to be a South African man," says Tronchin.

"It is time that men start to take ownership. Rape is an issue that is usually addressed by women in the media. It needs to start becoming a male issue," commented Kevan Aspoas, Jupiter Cape Town MD.