Gender-based violence (GBV) is not a women’s issue. It demands that men directly confront harmful attitudes, dismantle toxic stereotypes surrounding masculinity, and rigorously examine their own role in ending the crisis.
These were among the views shared by men who work with various organisations in the fight against GBV speaking recently following the discovery of nine bodies of women in Ekurhuleni.
Eight of the nine women have since been identified. Two women, Fortunate Masilela and Tsakane Nester Msithini, appeared in the Boksburg Magistrates' Court on Monday, September 21 on charges of premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice in connection with the death of the ninth victim, Jabulile Ntimba. Their case returns to court on October 1.
Speaking on Thursday, Heritage Day, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he will deliver a dedicated address to the nation in the coming days to outline the state's escalated strategy against this wave of femicide.
There have been growing calls for men to be part of the conversation on tackling GBV. Seth Naicker, representing Heartlines Fathers Matter and Faith Action Collective, which works around faith in gender justice, committed to challenging toxic patriarchy.
“It’s a confession that we as men in our communities have been quiet. This is our commitment to say that the work that I am doing with Fathers Matter as a national campaign is to encourage men to be active, positive, and present, to become the men that will actually stand in the gap, men that will be able to articulate a strong message of care and support and standing with the women in their communities,” Naicker said.
Naicker said religious leaders need to step forward, speak about vigilance and safety, and also hold the government accountable, starting with local areas and municipalities.
“We need to stop giving unhealthy pushback when we hear about gender-based violence because we say it is just a woman’s issue. No, it is not. It is our issue. It is an issue of men and boys,” Naicker said.
Irfaan Mangera, a social justice and political activist who also works at Constitution Hill teaching people about the Constitution, said GBV was a societal crisis, a crisis that forces engagement on what are the repercussions of this violence on families, on children, and on generational trauma.
He added that this level of dysfunction was unhealthy for any society to progress, achieve peace, and prosperity.
He said putting properly trained, qualified detectives on the ground, filling the vacancies in the SAPS, investing in the DNA labs that have constant backlogs and putting perpetrators behind bars, could get the state to function.
“It also means strengthening the investigative capacity so that when women report a threat, stalking or abuse, there is enough capacity to track, trace and to act before someone is killed,” Mangera said.
Tebogo Moalusi, of Dope Black Dads, an organisation that seeks to reshape the meaning of fatherhood in South Africa, said no child is born a perpetrator.
“Something happens between when they are born, when they grow up, and their first incident of crime, abuse, or murder. As a society, we are all complicit in understanding what happened to our children, particularly what happened to our boys,” Moalusi said.
Moalusi challenged men to understand the extent of GBV because for women a gym could be a crime scene, or the post office, the doctors’ rooms or the office of a politician.
“Every single space that women walk in, they have to be looking over their shoulders. And men, you do not have the same problem. So let’s not try to compare apples with bananas,” he said.
Before the media briefing, the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), an umbrella body that works with over 100 shelters that assist women and children survivors, said ending GBV cannot be women’s responsibility.
“Women cannot be expected to change how they walk, run, dress, travel, work or live in order to avoid being harmed by men. Men must speak to men. Men must challenge men. Men must hold men accountable.”
gcwalisile.khanyile@nationalmg.co.za