Durban — Boys wore skirts at Majiya High this past weekend to mark the end of Women’s Month and drive awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) in uMlalazi Municipality.
The events were supported by the SAPS, Community Policing Forum (CPF), ward councillors and traditional leadership where the high school pupils were the focal point.
StandOut founder and director, Zandile Mthimkhulu who is also the event organiser, said that during August, boys and some of the teachers were wearing skirts in solidarity with women and girls during the event.
They held two events in honour of girls' rights and these were championed by Stand-Out Influencers -- a group of Grade 10 boys who are the beneficiaries of a programme being implemented in Old Mill High School at Empangeni ward 23, the City of uMhlathuze Municipality and Majiya High School in ward 16 Mvutshini area under the uMlalazi Municipality.
CPF chairperson of Mvutshini area Ward 16, Velemseni Gumede, signed the Pledge, dubbed the 19 Anti-GBVF Pledge.
The statements contained in the pledge were read by influencers and signed by school principals, StandOut representatives and both presidents of the schools.
Mthimkhulu said the pledge encourages boys to create a safe and conducive school environment for girls beyond Women's Month.
Gumede said he was pleased that Majiya High School was changing from being a priority school to becoming a safe and violence-free school.
“As a result, we are now seeing a lot of boys being transformed into being respectful young men,” he said.
School principal, Nhlanhla Zungu, said that for the first time the school hosted a violence-free event. “Usually all our events would end up with violence, but since the Stand-Out Foundation started we are seeing positive results which made us allow this event.”
The president of the StandOut influencers, Bayanda Mbambo, who has been the instigator of factional fights in and out of school, is now a changed young man, who led the campaign wearing a skirt to display his solidarity with the girls.
"The work we are doing here is successful because we have the full support of iNkosi Nzuza and Izinduna, Gingindlovu SAPS, the CPF, ward councillor and the entire school management,” said Mthimkhulu.
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