Following the alarming number of girls and women being abducted, raped and killed across South Africa, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) Mogale City Zonal Task Team (ZTT) joined in a prayer walk in solidarity with those who have died and to create awareness among women.
During that same weekend, Sanco in Mogale City convened a Father and Son meeting at the Kid Maponya Primary School in Extension 12, Kagiso.
The Father and Son meeting was part of the National Child Protection Week against violence against women and against any form of abuse, irrespective of offender, race, colour or creed.
It was the first of its kind in Kagiso. The Father and Son meeting was also inspired by calls across South Africa to protect women after the Karabo Mokoena saga. Karabo was murdered by her boyfriend in Johannesburg. Her murder sparked a public outcry and the #MenAreTrash on most social media platforms. And this divided the nation.
I, as the chairperson of the Sanco Maki Legwete branch in Ward 11 in Kagiso, passionate as I am about this issue, was joined by less than 50 men at the inaugural meeting, and the meeting was served by the fairer sex, that is women.
If the number of men and their sons who attended the Father and Son meeting are a true reflection of Kagiso citizens who are opposed to violence against women and children, then the majority of males in our area are abusers of note.
This worries me a lot as the chairperson of Sanco, as I was invited to give an address.
I addressed the audience and questioned the non-availability of men for the area’s first Father and Son meeting. I support this activity and I hope that we will continue to have such meetings and marches in future – not only to support Child Protection Week. These meetings should not be once-off activities.
Sanco will engage all relevant stakeholders in the city so that there are effective ways of curbing crime.
