Following the end of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign,the Gauteng Community Safety Department has seen the inauguration of 140 Men As Safety Promoters (Masp) in the province in an effort to fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
The group, described as the “defenders of the nation”, will be tasked with addressing gender-based violence in various communities across the province.Masp is aimed at mobilising men in various segments of society to be activists in the fight against abuse of women and children.
Members of the group were officially handed their NQF level 2 Customer Care certificate and Project Management certificate. They were also taken through a multidisciplinary skills development programme through Pearson Institution of Higher Education.
Some of the modules that they completed included people-management and principles of customer care which aimed to equip them with dealing with GBV incidents in their communities.The graduates have already started their community services alongside police members, as volunteers.
Acting director for the programme, Nonhlanhla Dlamini, said the graduates would go a long way in helping provincial law enforcement. “There is no way we could win this fight without involving men. These are role models in their communities, and the department is recognizing them for their outstanding work, “said Dlamini.
She added that the president’s recent declaration of GBV as a pandemic had been the main driving force.Dlamini noted that the graduates will also form part of other community policing initiatives throughout the festive season.
Police representative and speaker at the ceremony, Sergeant Harry Manaka, encouraged the graduates to form a unit with the police. “The door is always open for you guys, and this is your opportunity to share ideas on how we are going to deal with all these issues in our communities, “said Manaka. He applauded the group for completing their one-year course.
