Make #NoExcuse for GBV, be a Champion for Change

Football in South Africa is a game and a cultural force that carries influence far beyond the pitch.
As stadiums fill with passion and energy, football uniquely shapes attitudes, behaviours, and values within communities.

Recognisng this, Carling Black Label’s #NoExcuse campaign is leveraging the power of football to drive change in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).

Read more: Rosebank College ready to take a stand against GBV

Gauteng’s #NoExcuse media pop-up event, held at the Four Seasons Hotel, The Westcliff on January 29, gathered influential names in football and social advocacy.

The event focused on one key message: men must take responsibility for ending gender-based violence.

Conversations centred around how football, as a powerful unifier, can be used to challenge outdated perceptions of masculinity and redefine strength as accountability, integrity, and respect.

Last year in November, during the release of the second quarter 2024/25 crime statistics, the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said, “GBV, which has become a national priority crime, requires our distinct focus, as it continues to devastate families and communities, with a unique set of challenges that demand specialised intervention, thorough investigations, and collaborative solutions.”

Focusing on contact crime, the statistics indicated that sexual offences decreased by 2.5%, while assault grievous bodily harm rose by 1.0%.

Carling Black Label brand manager Nonjabulo Ndwandwe reinforced the significance of this partnership.

“The brand has been on this journey since 2017, we saw that the spike in GBV was continuous and people were using alcohol as an excuse. As an alcohol brand, we are acutely aware that some men who abuse alcohol are sometimes the same men who abuse their partners, which means we could not be bystanders but acknowledge the role alcohol played.”

Ndwandwe added as a brand that was synonymous with South African football, they thought they could use their powerful platform to promote the campaign and reiterate to their fans and consumers, that real injuries happened off the field.

Also read: The Norwood and Orange Grove community says no to GBV

At the heart of the campaign is the Champions for Change Course, an educational programme designed to challenge harmful social norms and provide men with the knowledge and skills to prevent gender-based violence.

The course, which can be accessed at NoExcuseSA.com, is available in multiple South African languages through Father A Nation Academy and provides both online and in-person mentorship sessions facilitated by seasoned experts in behavioural change and leadership development.

The course breaks down the root causes of gender-based violence, explores the impact of societal conditioning on men, and offers strategies for fostering healthier relationships. It also provides men with a space to self-reflect, discuss challenges faced, and gain the emotional intelligence needed to handle conflict constructively.

Mthabisi Mhlongo, a #NoExcuse participant said he joined the campaign in 2022 after his violent past.

“Violence was how I was brought up from my younger years and as a Zulu person, there is a mentality where a man is not allowed to cry or show emotions. When I used to play with other children outside and they hit me, going back in the house to report that I was hit would result in me being told that I must not allow girls to hit me.”

Mhlongo added he signed up for the course after he had hit his classmate and the matter was handed to the police and involved social workers.

“Even at home, when my uncle had disagreements with his wife, he would resort to violence, there were never conversations addressing the disagreements and that is what I also knew. In 2022, I was introduced to the course and realised that not every situation required violence but speaking things out and hearing other people’s views.”

Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach, Steve Komphela emphasised that football was not a sport separate from society, it was a direct reflection of it.

“Footballers are not only athletes; they are men who come from the same communities that are dealing with gender-based violence. If a player comes from an environment where violence is normalised, that behaviour carries over into his relationships and everyday life. But mentorship and proper guidance can break that cycle.”

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