BEHAVIORAL PROGRAMMES TO ASSIST MEN ON GBV ISSUES NEEDED BY VAN STADENSRUS COMMUNITY

By Lerato Khateane

• Mangaung Metro officials, alongside key stakeholders, commemorated Women’s Day in Van Stadensrus by addressing gender-based violence (GBV) within the community.
• The programme emphasised the need to uplift the morale of both men and women, recognising that GBV affects everyone, and highlighted the stigma men face when reporting abuse.
• The initiative also focused on fostering community spirit through activities and games, encouraging collective problem-solving and support for those facing GBV.

Mangaung Metro District officials, in collaboration with stakeholders such as the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Correctional Services, the Department of Labour, South African Police Services (SAPS), and Home Affairs, recently celebrated Women’s Day in Van Stadensrus. Van Stadensrus, a rural settlement in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality of the Free State province, lies between Wepener and Zastron. Founded in 1925 and named after its owner, the town remains a small yet significant community.

The Women’s Day celebration aimed to address gender-based violence (GBV) within the community and to uplift the morale of both men and women, empowering them to tackle GBV more effectively. According to local police officers, GBV is often perceived as an issue where men are the primary perpetrators. However, there are also cases of women who financially and emotionally abuse men. This issue is exacerbated by unemployed women who, when denied money by their partners, resort to assault—often under the influence of alcohol.

One challenge faced by the local police station is the reluctance of men to report GBV due to the stigma associated with being abused by a woman. A female SAPS officer noted a case in which they successfully arrested a woman who had assaulted her partner while demanding money. The case is currently ongoing at the Wepener Regional Court.

Ms Vuyelwa Njoti, a local social worker, collaborated with the Department of Sports and Recreation to encourage community members to stay active and engaged. As part of the programme, various games were organised to empower and uplift the community’s spirits. Nomahlubi Mavumngwane from Sports and Recreation explained that one of the games, called “Blindfold,” was designed to teach community members the importance of helping one another through challenges and finding solutions together. The mass participation game also aimed to promote collective problem-solving within the community.

A local SAPS officer emphasised the police’s readiness to assist men facing GBV issues and highlighted the importance of initiatives such as the “Men and Boys Championing Change” program from the Department of Social Development.

During her recent budget vote speech, the new MEC for Social Development, Ms Mathabo Leeto, underscored the need to intensify Moral Regeneration and Social Cohesion Programmes in the Free State province.

“We need to focus more on men and boys, providing counselling to address anger issues, as most perpetrators are men and boys,” Leeto stated.

The Department of Social Development will soon launch the “Molo Makhelwane” campaign, aimed at uniting communities and promoting neighbourhood care and support.