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GBV is an indictment on the country: Dlamini-Zuma

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Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma described the spate of Gender-Based Violence in South Africa as an indictment on the country.

She was addressing the National Men’s Parliament in the National Council of Provinces.

The annual gathering brings together men from different sectors of society who are committed in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and promoting men’s health.

Dlamini-Zuma says, “The women and children in South Africa are not safe. We are not safe. These numbers are an indictment on our moral standing as a nation. I make this harsh statement on the moral standing of our nation because it is an indictment, an indication of the extent of our departure from our African values of Ubuntu and human decency.”

The co-founder of the organisaton, #Langa For Men, Luyolo Lengisi, says GBV remains South Africa’s first pandemic.

He wants boys to be taught about the Men’s Charter from an early age. Lengisi says #Langa for Men is an organisation fighting for the safety of all genders in South Africa. He was addressing the Men’s Parliament in the National Council of Provinces.

The two-day annual Men’s Parliament brings together men from different sectors of society who are committed in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and promoting men’s health.

Lengisi says, “Gender-Based violence was the first pandemic, and it is still the first pandemic of South Africa. We have the platform from the primary levels where boys meet, so I would be happy if the men’s charter would also be presented to boys so that they grow up and they can be able to understand Men’s charter.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Traditional Affairs Obed Bapela told the Men’s Parliament how women and children walk freely in the middle of the night in Mozambique, saying this does not happen in South Africa.

“I recently visited Mozambique, they walk at eleven-twelve midnight. We were driving from  kilometres from one venue everyday in the night – eleven or twelve midnight, and women children were walking in the streets of Mozambique in the dark drenchy streets of Maputo. I could see something that I never see in South Africa. Let’s then work together and see what has gone wrong with us as South Africans, but I think some of the things have been said here. We are an angry nation; we are a violent nation, but we just have to fix those particular issues.”

National Men’s march against Gender-Based Violence: Bongani Gema reports

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