Free State Prime Minister Sisi Ntambela has called on boys to be the first line of defense against those who abuse women and children.
Addressing the young boys at Ms Mantsopa’s cave on Sunday, she urged them to be activists against all forms of violence in their communities.
Ntambela was speaking at the provincial launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide campaign in Modderport.
The Prime Minister urges them to resist the temptation of drug use and a life of crime, no matter how close and respected that person may be.
“It is necessary to raise morals in our boys from an early age. Gender-based violence is another pandemic and we need to have the kind of discussions that will deter boys from engaging in any acts of violence,” Ntambela adds.
The Free State Provincial Government invited over 200 boys as well as men to speak to them and start a conversation that can cultivate change.
The program aimed to educate boys and men. The director general of the provincial government, Kopung Ralikantsane, says they are concerned about violence against women and children in the communities.
“We are very worried, very worried. A number of cases are occurring across the province. We hope that the district interventions of our gender-based violence officers will help these programs continue to campaign to protect women for the safety of children across the province. It is alarming that boys are attacking their mothers, attacking their grandmothers, some of them are committing terrible crimes that we cannot describe,” Rallikantsane explains.
