Generation G hosts Imbizo Yamadoda – Using the power of Sports Against Gender-Based Violence in the Eastern Cape

August is Women’s Month in South Africa, a time when the country reflects on the 1965 march of approximately 20,000 women to the Union Buildings to protest the apartheid regime’s pass laws. It is also a moment to celebrate women and focus on issues that affect them, with Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remaining a persistent concern. According to the African Health Organisation, 51% of South African women report experiencing GBV, while 76% of men admit to having perpetrated it at some point in their lives. These statistics are an indictment on of the South African justice system as well as society at large.

Amid these sobering statistics, there seems to be a glimmer of hope in the despondency. On 27 August 2025, Generation G, a coalition of Activate! Change Drivers, Action Aid, and Sonke Gender Justice hosted an imbizo in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape village of Ngcingwane with the moniker being: Imbizo Yamadoda – Sports Against GBV. The event was well attended , drawing over forty men and more than twenty women, creating space for dialogue on men’s mental health, the potential of sport to foster healthier relationships and broader community well-being. 

Traditionally and by design, such an event would be solely attended by men. What was striking about this event was that women were also in the audience. Explaining the reason for their presence, one of the women in attendance, Ms Nokulunga Nwayi, stated that she felt it was important for women to be present. The women of the village, she said, wanted first-hand accounts of how they can assist and collaborate with men towards building a healthier community. Local man, Mr Sakhiwo Mapukata, echoed this sentiment, noting the value of women understanding men’s challenges. 

“Ndiyasiva isikhalo sama nina. Ezizinto size share-ayo nabo ingasuke bayazi ukuba kusuke kutheni. Likhwelo; ngumceli mngeni [lento bayithethayo]. Asivi kabuhlungu ngokushare-a izinto [bek]khona. I understand the women’s cry. I hope that what we share can provide them with insight into our inner worlds. Their presence here is a call to action. We are not grieved by having to share our issues in their presence”, he said.

Government Presence

Councillors Fipaza and Sibaninginingi were present and delivered speeches that addressed societal challenges such as addiction and unemployment, while emphasising love, unity and self-respect. Mr Sibaninginingi repeatedly urged the community: “Khanibuyeleleni kwibuyambo. Nishumayele ubunye. Nishumayele ukuthandana. Return to your roots. Preach unity. Preach love.’ He highlighted the importance of collaboration between men and women, including women’s involvement in aspects of Ulwaluko, as a measure to safeguard initiate boys and to foster mutual respect between men and women.

Councillor Fipaza, in his address, focused on men’s self-respect and self-confidence. He highlighted that men’s validation ought to come from within. This was in response to a comment made by one of the men in the audience. He went on to state that men must take up leadership in their communities. Leadership, he advised, does not require a title. In addition, the youth are not leaders of tomorrow. Instead, they are leaders of the present. They too ought to lead today in the various spaces that they occupy. Sport, he said, must be used as a tool to address feelings of redundancy created by unemployment as well as to build rapport. Agency, leadership, and self-confidence were the resounding themes of his address. These themes fed seamlessly into the regional media personality and teacher, Mr Qaphela Majola’s segment.

Open-Floor Discussion

Mr Majola took a technical and scientific approach in his offering to the community. He spoke in-depth about the importance of emotional intelligence and self-control. Speaking on the mental wellness of men and the general community, he used biology to explain how self-control works. His presentation leaned on the role of the limbic system and the frontal lobe in building emotional intelligence. What set his presentation apart, however, was how much he engaged the members of the community. He opened the floor for men to speak on the issues that troubled them. A variety of issues came to the fore. These included household management, self-confidence, peer pressure, and alcohol abuse. Mr Majola wove all of these responses into a very well-considered and thoughtful presentation on the links between biology and interpersonal dynamics. “If what is happening around you is not the way you want it, at least what is happening within you must be the way you want it”, he said. 

Unemployment and Entrepreneurship

As one of the issues affecting men’s mental wellness, as raised by the men at the Indaba, is unemployment, it was only fitting that local businessman, Nyaniso Mbana, took to the front to address the community in this regard. In his address, Mr Mbana emphasised the importance of members of the community exercising their agency through entrepreneurship. He announced, to a very warm welcome, a local initiative where he and other businessmen would be investing in small businesses in the Mbhashe Municipality and the surrounding. Details of this venture will be shared with Ngcingwane Generation G Champion, Mr Lunathi Bomela.

Sport as a Tool Against GBV

The core purpose of this imbizo was to discuss how sports can be used as a tool to curb Gender Based Violence. Each of the speakers, in their discussion, highlighted the role that sports plays in building rapport, community, mutual respect and self-respect. However, it truly grew wings to become more than what was intended. It became a safe space for community members to speak on and engage on some of the most sensitive issues, which contribute immensely to Gender Based Violence, demonstrating that addressing violence requires holistic community dialogue.

In closing, Mr Bomela announced that Generation G would host a soccer tournament on Saturday, 30 August 2025, featuring trophies, medals and a cash prize, reinforcing the connection between sport, community engagement, and ongoing efforts against GBV.

The Imbizo Yamadoda was a reminder that meaningful change starts with conversation, understanding and collaboration. By creating spaces where men and women can engage constructively, the community of Ngcingwane, in partnership with Generation G, is taking steps toward addressing the entrenched challenges of Gender-Based Violence.

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About the Author:

Siphosethu Siwaphiwe Zazela is a South African legal scholar and writer with a focus on law, society, and justice. He is currently pursuing an LLM in Land Reform and Environmental Law at Stellenbosch University.