South African Men Mobilize to Combat Gender-Based Violence

Groups of men in South Africa are organizing to confront the country's pervasive issue of gender-based violence, spurred by recent high-profile cases and persistent societal challenges. The non-profit organization Father A Nation is at the forefront of this movement, working with men and boys to promote positive masculinity and dismantle cycles of violence.

Recent weeks have seen renewed public outcry following the discovery of 12 women's bodies in the Ekurhuleni area near Johannesburg. This incident has reignited discussions about the scale of violence against women in South Africa, a country already grappling with one of the world's highest murder rates. Between April and June this year, 5,427 people were murdered, with 569 of those victims being women.

"I witness men hitting women all the time," said Kgomotso Mathekga, 30, during a Father A Nation meeting in a Johannesburg informal settlement. "Especially when they are both drunk." Mathekga shared a personal regret, admitting to having slapped his former girlfriend, which led to their breakup and his estrangement from his child. "Now I feel pain," he said. "We broke up and I no longer see my child. I feel like I've contributed to the problems in South Africa, instead of being the gentleman that I know I am."

Itumeleng Stephen Tamaga, known locally as Bra Steve, leads one such gathering in Organic Market. "We are men!" he shouted to a group of men at a local tavern. "We must stand together to fight against gender-based violence and femicide." Bra Steve emphasized the need to "restore dignity to the men around here," referring to a perceived loss of positive male role models.

Father A Nation founder Craig Wilkinson explained the group's approach: "We get men to talk, to process their feelings. And as they do, this healing takes place. And the second phase is teaching and training positive masculinity. We ultimately hope that this will eliminate the scourge of gender-based violence."

Zizipho Mtwesi, a project co-ordinator for Father A Nation, expressed frustration with the government's response, noting that recent measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, such as improved street lighting and reviews of unsolved cases, felt insufficient. "When I think about all of these recent murders in Johannesburg, I get angry. Why do we have to wait for this to happen for us to act?" he questioned. "We are trying to reach men before things like these murders happen again."

The organization's efforts extend to schools and colleges across South Africa, aiming to instill healthier concepts of masculinity from an early age. The lingering fear among women in affected communities was palpable. Linkie, a resident cleaning clothes outside her shack, stated, "We are not safe when we are outside our place. We are afraid when we see a car behind us when we walk. We feel afraid. We feel scared. What if this guy's going to kidnap me or do something to me?"

Providence Maseko, from a local hair salon, echoed these sentiments, stating, "Safety here is very bad. Maybe you are the serial killer. How do I know who to trust?" Bra Steve encouraged dialogue, suggesting, "We must talk about these things. Come to our meetings and we can learn to trust each other."

As the men's meeting concluded, Mtwesi reiterated the call for collective responsibility. "Each and every man needs to know that they need to play a part in this," he urged. "And if they wouldn't allow these things to happen to their own daughters or own mothers, they mustn't allow it to be done to someone else's daughter, which is their wives or their girlfriends."

Mathekga found the discussion valuable, particularly the emphasis on becoming positive role models. "I would love them to keep on practising what we have learned, because we no longer have role models," he said. "Our fathers and our uncles, they are there in prison. We must now become role models and help make this country better."