REPORT: 

The Rustenburg campus is one of three Orbit TVET College campuses and has a student body of 3800. On arrival the student support manager shared with the FAN team that even though students were about to start writing exams he could not afford not to have the workshop because of the ever-increasing number of incidents of gender based violence at the college.

  • There was a very positive spirit at the workshop, with both male and female students engaged in conversations around healthy and unhealthy masculinity and femininity.

  • Here are some of the strongly held views expressed during the discussions:

    • GBV incidents occur when people feel they have control over someone else because they have more money or a higher social ranking than them
    • Men whose partners have better jobs than them intimidate them and in order for the male to maintain his authority he will feel the need to break the woman’s confidence by making her believe that she is worthless and useless.
    • Because Rustenburg was originally a mining town, men would come to work there from all around the country and would enter into relationships with women. Sadly many of these men would abandon the women as soon as they fell pregnant which led to a high level of fatherlessness and this was a great contributor to gender-based violence.

  • Overall students were extremely encouraged by the workshop and saw themselves as #NoExcuse ambassadors.

  • There was a very positive spirit at the workshop, with both male and female students engaged in conversations around healthy and unhealthy masculinity and femininity.

  • Here are some of the strongly held views expressed during the discussions:

    • GBV incidents occur when people feel they have control over someone else because they have more money or a higher social ranking than them
    • Men whose partners have better jobs than them intimidate them and in order for the male to maintain his authority he will feel the need to break the woman’s confidence by making her believe that she is worthless and useless.
    • Because Rustenburg was originally a mining town, men would come to work there from all around the country and would enter into relationships with women. Sadly many of these men would abandon the women as soon as they fell pregnant which led to a high level of fatherlessness and this was a great contributor to gender-based violence.

  • Overall students were extremely encouraged by the workshop and saw themselves as #NoExcuse ambassadors.

What I learnt:

“What makes a man.”

Letlhohonolo Letswelo, Student

“How to be a real man.”

Ontlametse Masuku, Student

“That no amount of money can measure a man.”

Geanokeng Motlhajwa, Student

Biggest challenges you face:

“We are shy to ask for help.”

Norman Qakumbana, Student

“To act as a father when I am still a teenager.”

Lungisani Tukgathi , Student

“Lack of a father figure.”

Ofentse Mogakane, Student

“No father.”

Bethametswe Monetsane, Student

What will you change?

“I will do whatever it takes to be a better man.”

Kagiso Modimosana, Student

“I will always share my problems with others.”

Nthabiseng Rantao, Student

“I will not be silent when I see abuse.”

Mbongeni Phanda, Student

“Be open to someone I trust to avoid depression.”

Thapelo Mainole, Student

“I will make sure no one around me becomes a victim of violence.”

Nozuko Dutywa, Student

What I learnt:

“What makes a man.”

Letlhohonolo Letswelo, Student

“How to be a real man.”

Ontlametse Masuku, Student

“That no amount of money can measure a man.”

Geanokeng Motlhajwa, Student

Biggest challenges you face:

“We are shy to ask for help.”

Norman Qakumbana, Student

“To act as a father when I am still a teenager.”

Lungisani Tukgathi , Student

“Lack of a father figure.”

Ofentse Mogakane, Student

“No father.”

Bethametswe Monetsane, Student

What will you change?

“I will do whatever it takes to be a better man.”

Kagiso Modimosana, Student

“I will always share my problems with others.”

Nthabiseng Rantao, Student

“I will not be silent when I see abuse.”

Mbongeni Phanda, Student

“Be open to someone I trust to avoid depression.”

Thapelo Mainole, Student

“I will make sure no one around me becomes a victim of violence.”

Nozuko Dutywa, Student

“We as men have to learn from our mistakes, and learn from our conscious that beating a woman is a foolish thing.”

– Mogomotsi Senzo

WATCH A SHORT CLIP OF THE WORKSHOP