Latest news with #GBV
eNCA
6 hours ago
- General
- eNCA
Politicians, Police Must Be Fired For Failing To Tackle GBV Crisis
The Dan Corder Show | Politicians, Police Must Be Fired For Failing To Tackle GBV Crisis
News24
a day ago
- Health
- News24
What is the state of mind of men who commit GBV? An expert weighs in
Women in South Africa are disproportionately affected by violent crimes, says the police minister. Factors like poverty and distorted views of gender roles exacerbate GBV. An expert says men need to redefine masculinity and embrace empathy. __________________________________________________________________________ It seems like everyday South Africans are reeling from an incomprehensible tragedy. The latest case that rocked the nation is that of Olorato Mongale, a 30-year-old journalism graduate who was found brutally murdered in Lombardy West, Johannesburg, after going on a date. The police are actively working on the case, with one of the suspects killed in a shootout with the cops in KwaZulu-Natal, one suspect is cleared and another the subject of a police manhunt. In the meantime, Olorato's loved ones and the whole country are still grappling with the brutal end Olorato and many women and children across South Africa faced at the hands of men. Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) have become a serious pandemic, leaving women and children facing a frightening reality in their day-to-day lives. Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu expressed that, 'while we acknowledge that GBVF affects all genders, women remain disproportionately affected by rape, assault GBH (grievous bodily harm) and murder. Our resolve to fight GBVF is unwavering'. We live in a culture that glorifies and resorts to violence, and with statistics like one in five women in relationships experiencing physical violence by a partner, its time for men to look inward, change their mindset and denounce toxic masculinity. But first, let's look into what factors create this distressing mindset. The state of mind of South African men who commit GBV Violence as a response to internal or external stressors is a phenomenon that is usually influenced by factors like societal norms, pressures, distorted beliefs about genders and mental illness, Dr Gagu Matsebula, a member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, tells TRUELOVE. Dr Gagu goes on to explain that, 'The first factor is a sense of patriarchy and misogyny and in this state of mind, women and children are framed as being subordinate or possessions or bearers of male honour. As such, violence is then used to control these population groups and to punish any form of perceived disobedience. Another factor could be a sense of entitlement, where some perpetrators of violence display entitlement over women and children's bodies, lack of empathy and they use aggression to control women and children. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Women For Change (@womenforchangesa) 'Another possible factor that could influence the state of South African men who commit acts of violence against women and children is psychological trauma. We do know that violence, neglect and trauma - to mention a few - in childhood may, and that's the operative word, may lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms. For an example, violence then becomes a learned or default response to conflict or stress or feelings of powerlessness,' Dr Gagu shares. Issues like poverty and unemployment can also lead men to use violence and aggression to assert dominance and control over women and children, especially in the home. But one thing Dr Gagu couldn't stress enough is that neglect, childhood trauma or ill mental health doesn't automatically lead to a violent man. He implores that 'We should try to shy away or to run away from framing GBV primarily as a mental health issue. By doing so, we are distracting from accountability and the required systemic changes that need to be put into place to deal with the scourge of GBV in South Africa.' Tangible ways men can change their mindset It's easy to tell others to do better, but what exactly is that 'better'? From redefining masculinity to taking part in community initiatives, Dr Gagu breaks down some helpful and tangible ways men can do the work and treat women as equals. 'Men have to learn to challenge toxic ideas of masculinity and here we're speaking about dominance, we're speaking about emotional suppression and we're also speaking about aggression as well,' he shares. 'Men need to redefine masculinity. They need to come up with a new model of masculinity, which is based on empathy, emotional intelligence, emotional expression and viewing women as equals. The other thing that men can do is to undertake what we call positive role-modeling, and that is where male figures who model healthy masculinity, as I've described it, are not only promoted but are also supported as well.' Public figures and community leaders should be consistently speaking out too, says Dr Gagu. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Women For Change (@womenforchangesa) 'When a man has been arrested and has been charged, he must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and if found guilty, he must be sentenced in a manner that sends out a clear, unambiguous message to society about how unacceptable and how abhorrent gender-based violence is. 'So, there must be an enforcement of strict legal consequences. And for those men that have been arrested, it would be beneficial to ensure that we have some form of rehabilitative programmes, either in prisons or via court mandated interventions.' Community initiatives men can join
eNCA
a day ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Dealing with the crisis of GBVF in SA
JOHANNESBURG - The murder of Olorato Mongale has again laid bare the devastating reality of GBV and Femicide. Her name is now added to the growing list of women who have fallen victim to this national crisis. Speaking at Mongale's funeral in Bloemfontein, Deputy Police Minister Dr Polly Boshielo reaffirmed government's commitment to intensifying the fight against GBVF.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Silent protest at Parktown High School for Girls targets GBV+F crisis
In the continuous fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBV+F), on May 26, Parktown High School for Girls organised a silent protest at the school. Learner and organiser of the initiative Ayanda Mehlomakhulu said she decided to be part of the initiative because she wanted to take a stand against the heinous crime. 'I decided to involve the school in taking a stand and having a moment of silence because GBV+F is a crime that is constantly on the rise, and nothing seems to be done about it.' Read more: TEARS Foundation and Avon South Africa unite against GBV Head girl Laura Helling added that one of the most important things about being part of the school was its culture to always be there for one another. 'Being a young woman in 2025 is about using your voice to speak up about issues that are important to our generation. GBV+F is one of the most horrific acts that affect our girls, and a crime we want to focus on.' Also read: Make #NoExcuse for GBV, be a Champion for Change Laura added that a few weeks ago, the school was invited to Parktown High School for Boys, where she addressed the school about GBV+F's seriousness, urging them to curb it in anyway they could. Last week, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu released the fourth-quarter statistics, highlighting that, to help SAPS fight the scourge against GBV+F, the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster had launched a 90-day GBV+F blitz, which began on May 1. 'This includes the revival of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBV+F, tasked with co-ordinating government interventions, resolving systemic bottlenecks, and ensuring measurable progress. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) is leading the co-ordination of frontline safety and protection efforts.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Rosebank College ready to take a stand against GBV At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Exploring Politics Through Art: Nanda Soobben's provocative book, 'Shut Your Pothole'
Multi-award winning cartoonist and animator Nanda Soobben launched his latest book, Shut Your Pothole. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Media VETERAN cartoonist and animator Nanda Soobben launched his third book, Shut Your Pothole, at the Glenwood Book Fair, on Saturday. Soobben, who has been keeping a close eye and depicting his take on local and international politics for 40 years in that time, is regarded as a Struggle media personality. It's no surprise that the book has strong political flavour and Chapter One is titled: 'Apartheid and Racism" Mandela, women, GBV and human rights, Donald Trump, one of the most dominant personalities in world politics presently, are some other prominent themes to feature in the book. Some of the audience who attended the launch of nanda Soobben's latest book, Shut Your Pothole. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Media Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ During the launch event, Soobben engaged his audience and gave insights on the inspiration for Shut Your Pothole, including the catchy title. 'I saw Bheki Cele (the former minister of police) shouting at someone, who was asking a relevant question about a woman who was killed in a township and he was telling her to shut up and was shouting at her. 'I was watching it play out on TV and instinctively said, shut your pothole!' About the presidents who ruled nations during his career as cartoonist, Soobben said: 'I have seen stupid men rule the world, everyone one was stupid. There was only one who was more dignified than the others, the rest were all stupid because of the things they did.' Nanda Soobben giving insights on some of the depictions in his latest boo, Shut Your Pothole. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Media
