Zulu king, deputy president lead march against GBV

The atmosphere was electric as the reigning king of the Zulu kingdom, Misuzulu kaZwelithini and deputy president, Paul Mashatile led a march with more than 3000 men in the second National Men’s Day Against Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) on Saturday. The march was aimed at stopping GBVF.

South African Police Services (SAPS) statistics in the second quarter of 2022 revealed that over 17 410 GBVF cases were reported in South Africa. This included cases of kidnapping, rape, and murder. In most cases, men are the main perpetrators of gender-based violence.

Last year, King kaZwelithini, as the patron of The Goodmen Foundation and out of his concern for the victims of GBVF, led the first National Men’s Day Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. He called on the Goodmen Foundation to work with all sectors to fight the scourge and to focus on raising boys to be upstanding men who not only respect women but also protect them.

This year King kaZwelithini’s call for unity was answered by many, including deputy president, Paul Mashatile, who co-led the walk with the king.

The eThekwini Municipality, MultiChoice, Ukhozi FM, and McDonalds SA partnered to make the second National Men’s Day Against Gender-based Violence and Femicide possible. Also contributing to the event was the South African National Aids Council. Among those invited include Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, organised local government, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, students, and other society organisations.

The formalities commenced with the signing of a pledge against GBVF at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and ended at King Zwelithini Stadium, Umlazi.

Participants in the walk and those who gathered at the stadium included civil society organisations, KZN SAPS, academic institutions, schools, community policing forms, traditional and religious leaders, and the public.

CEO of the Goodmen Foundation, Smangaye Xaba said the foundation welcomed the king’s call last year, for co-operation among civil society to get rid of this scourge of GBVF.

“As men we have a duty to stand up and protect women and children. This can only be achieved through individual actions and collaboration with each other,” said Mr Xaba.

The Goodmen Foundation is a male-driven platform and non-profit organisation that fights to end gender-based violence. Its strategic objectives are to increase public awareness about the negative impacts of GBVF and the importance of taking action. They conduct workshops to empower communities about gender equity, conflict and anger management. The foundation also provides GBVF survivors with immediate and appropriate response, care, and support that enables them to heal and regain control of their lives.

Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Mxolisi Kaunda, welcomed the decision to hold the march in Durban.

“We were honoured that a cause as noble and crucial to the nation as the fight against GBVF was amplified in our city,” said Mr Kaunda.