Originally established by a worried Samaritan who was moved to motivate men and women in this country to combat the plague of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), Mzansi Act Now is set on ridding SA of this scourge.
“This is our third year running the Hike Against GBVF, the programme has grown immensely. Growing in numbers from 20 people hiking to 250 participants per Hike, we have seen corporate companies and government take part in the Hike Against GBVF. Key messaging has been delivered strategically as well as the recruitment of participants as our active ambassadors," says musician and philanthropist Tebogo Lerole of Kwela Tebza fame.
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Usually, men tend to shy away from speaking about GBV, but this campaign is all-inclusive for that specific reason.
“Men are largely the missing element and force needed to conquer GBVF. The sooner the men can start taking a stand and accountability for their actions, the quicker we will end violence targeted at women children and their counterparts, men".
“We need to advance programmes that change the behaviour of men who are perpetrators of these heinous crimes and by rallying more men as GBVF ambassadors we will advance quick the war on GBVF," Tebogo adds.
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Through continuous participation in the Mzansi Act Now community upliftment programmes, men have to belong in sectors and forums of men to build character and capacitate their lack of participation in the family nucleus structures.
“We need more men to take up active citizenship roles or local hero roles. The young boys growing up seek for men to look up to as role models.”
This issue is paved with staggering statistics. For instance, locally, an average of 360 incidents of physical and sexual abuse of women are recorded.
“We wish to encourage victims and survivors of GBVF to speak out and have a voice, it's high time as we stop harbouring animals within our communities. Any man who is an abusive connection with someone needs to seek counselling before they harm the next person.”
Tebogo believes more awareness, advocacy and educational interventions are imminent, as we still have women who believe that a man must beat them up to prove that he loves her as well as men who believe that women are their property.
In the short run of this campaign Tebogo has seen some change emerge.
“We are seeing more communities responding and signing up to the cause, people of all ages are rising up and forming community policing structures that groom and improve men and boys to become responsible members of the community. Yes, some are hotspots, but with the implementation of resources and robust strategies.”
Witnessing that has been a truly rewarding experience for Tebogo along with seeing how these type of organisations can have the ability to amplify the voices of the voiceless and change the mindset of men at large.
“That and the recreation and conversion of hotspots into safer spaces. We are not of the Superman clan, but we believe that our contribution will unearth a positive attitude amongst our communities,” Tebogo adds.
Activism and advocacy are their core focus along with educating more South Africans at all tiers of our society from government, the corporate sector, faith-based organisations, men's forums and sectors.
“We do not plan on stopping anytime soon, affirmative. We have a huge awareness programme happening in August. Our year calendar is already jam-packed with programmes to implement monthly.”
