Byline: Andani Matumba

13 June 2022

With the rise of violence against women and children in the province of Mpumalanga, Cynthia Mahlangu and Lerato Tsotetsi decided to make a stand against the brutal abuse and killings of women and children.

This follows after amongst many, the following Queens were killed in cold blood in Mpumalanga:

  •       Bontle Mashiyane;
  •       Hillary Gardee;
  •      Dolly Mokoena;
  •      Minenhle Zingamo;
  •      Banele Khoza;
  •      Noxolo Mdluli;
  •     Felicia Ndlovu; and
  •     Nomthandazo Mdluli

In celebration of youth month, the duo hosted a seminar for the fight against gender based violence and period poverty awareness at eMbalenhle Sasol Club under the banner “Lets all stand for one”.

The beauty queens could no longer be silent on the growing pandemic of women and children being slaughtered.

Young people responded in numbers and attended the event including young men from eMbalenhle as well as children from an orphanage in Mandela section, Embalenhle.

“We organized this event so that we fight against the brutal murders of young girls and women.

Young people in this country deserve to be awarded an opportunity to engage in gender based violence issues so that we are able to tackle it from the source,” said the Miss Urban South Africa Finalist, Cynthia Mahlangu.

Mahlangu stated further that amongst the crowd, were children from an orphanage in Mandela.

Some of those children lost their parents due to gender based violence related issues.

“We have to teach this children to love, what it means to be loved at a young age and to love themselves so that they know when to walk out of unpleasant situations if confronted by any,” Mahlangu said.

“Ladies are raped and men will tell you that it is because of what she was wearing but this is ironical because women are raped while sleeping in their own beds, our elderly grandmothers are raped and killed, small children are killed for body parts.

Therefore can we stop making excuses about how people dress,” said Precious Mokoena.

At the end of the seminar, young men made a pledge that they seek to be better brothers, husbands, uncles and fathers.

“We as men have engage in GBV issues and create the next generation of men which will protect our children, our sisters, our mothers and our wives.

f we are broken, we need to find healing by speaking to a professional who will be able to help us in our psychological battles, “ said Vukani Majola who is also a member of the Govan Mbeki Arts and Culture Movement.