Kgomotso Mathekga, a South African man from Johannesburg, speaks openly about his past violence against women during a meeting organized by Father A Nation, a nonprofit focused on positive masculinity to combat gender-based violence and femicide. The discussion occurs amid heightened public concern following the discovery of 12 women's bodies in Ekurhuleni, near Johannesburg. South Africa’s high rate of violence against women is highlighted, with data showing over 35% of women experiencing physical or sexual abuse from intimate partners. President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged insufficient government action and proposed measures such as improved street lighting and case reviews, though activists like Zizipho Mtwesi criticize these efforts as inadequate.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
"I witness men hitting women all the time," says Kgomotso Mathekga, 30.
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Mathekga → witness → women
"I once had an argument with my girlfriend," he admits, "and I grabbed and slapped her."
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I → admit → her
Mathekga is speaking frankly during a gathering of men aimed at helping reduce the high levels of violence against women in South Africa.
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Mathekga → speak → Africa
The meeting is held in a narrow street in a Johannesburg informal settlement known as Organic Market.
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meeting → hold → Market
"Now I feel pain," Mathekga continues.
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Mathekga → feel → pain
"We broke up and I no longer see my child.
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I → break → child
I feel like I've contributed to the problems in South Africa, instead of being the gentleman that I know I am."
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I → feel → that
At a nearby tavern, a group of men have pulled their chairs into a circle in the dust.
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group → pull → dust
At the centre stands Itumeleng Stephen Tamaga, known locally as Bra Steve.
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Tamaga → stand → Steve
He raises his fist.
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He → raise → fist
"We are men!" he shouts.
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he → shout → ?
The group clap and cheers.
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group → clap → ?
Some sip bottled beer.
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Some → sip → beer
"Listen guys," Bra Steve says.
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Steve → listen → ?
"We must stand together to fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
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We → stand → violence
Bra Steve is the local organiser of Father A Nation, a non-profit that works with men and boys to promote positive masculinity and help end violence against women.
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that → work → women
The group's meeting comes as South Africa grapples with renewed anger over renewed cases of femicide and violence against women.
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Africa → come → women
The discovery of the bodies of 12 women over three months, in the city of Ekurhuleni, near Johannesburg has reignited questions about the scale of what many people see as being a crisis of violence against women.
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people → reignite → women
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged that his government has not done enough and announced measures he hopes can make women feel safer.
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women → acknowledge → measures
The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with 5,427 people murdered between April and June this year alone.
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people → have → April
In that period, according to the South African Human Rights Commission, 569 women were killed, an average of six a day, and 1,052 others survived attempted murder.
uncertain
others → accord → murder
A report in 2022 by the Human Sciences Research Council found that more than 35% of South African women experienced physical or sexual violence, many from their own intimate partners.
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% → find → partners
For Bra Steve, part of the solution to the crisis is helping men to understand the issue and take responsibility for their actions.
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men → help → actions
"We are a lost generation," he says.
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he → say → ?
"We must restore dignity to the men around here."
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We → restore → men
Reflecting on recent weeks, he says more should be done.
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more → reflect → weeks
The latest measures announced by Ramaphosa, including better street lighting and a review of unsolved cases, are too little, he says, and too late.
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he → announce → cases
"When I think about all of these recent murders in Johannesburg, I get angry.
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I → think → Johannesburg
Why do we have to wait for this to happen for us to act?"
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us → have → ?
He looks around and gestures at the meeting.
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He → look → meeting
"We are trying to reach men before things like these murders happen again."
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things → try → murders
"We get men to talk, to process their feelings," he explains.
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he → get → feelings
"And as they do, this healing takes place.
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healing → do → place
And the second phase is teaching and training positive masculinity.
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phase → teach → masculinity
"We ultimately hope that this will eliminate the scourge of gender-based violence."
He stands up, moving into the centre of the group, calling out to the men.
"You as a man are a powerful force for good," he tells them.
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he → hope → them
"You choose what kind of man you want to be.
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you → choose → man
Women need to be safe."
Father A Nation operates across South Africa, teaching healthy masculinity and running training programmes across dozens of schools and colleges.
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Nation → need → schools
Mystery surrounds the spate of murders which has sparked South Africa's latest moment of soul-searching about the safety of its women.
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which → surround → women
Police have not ruled out potential links between some of the Ekurhuleni deaths but have not said they are investigating a serial killer.
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they → rule → killer
Suspects in some of the cases have appeared in court.
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Suspects → appear → court
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
