South Africa - As hundreds of men take to the street today to join and support the #100MenMarch to stop violence against women and children we remember those who have lost their lives at the hands of men. Reeva Steenkamp, Amanda Tweyi, Karabo Mokoena, Zolile Khumalo and most recently Chantelle Matthyssen. Sadly, they represent just a small majority of the women killed in South Africa’s frightening femicide statistics.  

According to AfricaCheck, South Africa’s femicide rate is 5 times higher than the global rate. Between April and December 2016, the police recorded a total of 14,333 murders. Of these, 1,713 were women. 

“The time has come for South Africans to speak up on behalf of each other. With emergency responders stretched thin, helping to fight these frightening statistics starts with us. If we can create a community whereby, instead of filming, walking or scrolling by we could report incidents, fast, wouldn’t that be the first step into making South Africa a safer place for all?” says Peter Matthaei, CEO of Namola, a free mobile safety app that allows South African citizens to Get Help Fast in emergency situations.  ”With Namola, ordinary citizens now have the power to get help fast in an emergency situation where they would normally not want to get involved. We no longer have the excuse to ignore cries for help,”says Matthaei.  

Dialdirect offer the following tips to report assistance with Namola on behalf of someone else:  

• Assess the urgency of the situation. Before you report an emergency, make sure the situation is genuinely urgent. Namola categorises emergencies into four types; Crime, Medical, Accidents and Fire. 
• Location, Location, Location. The most important piece of information you will need when you request assistance on behalf of someone else is their location. If you are using Namola to request assistance, they will be able to know where you are via your GPS location. If you have received a request for help and are not at the scene of the incident, ensure you have an address and/or a landmark that will help emergency responders locate the person in need of assistance. 
• Attention to detail. You may not want to get involved in the incident itself, but you should try and provide as many details of the incident as possible. 

Dialdirect Insurance also offers information on what you will need to provide if you are reporting an incident on behalf of someone else: 

• Reporting a crime. Try and get a physical description of the person committing the crime. If this is a case of abuse, try and set the scene of the crime. For example, is there a history to the crime, does the perpetrator know the victim. 
• Reporting a medical emergency. What symptoms the person in the emergency is displaying.  

“The more information one is able to provide, the better prepared the person co-ordinating the help will be to assist,” concludes  Matthaei. 

Make sure that you #GetHelpFast. Download Namola FREE.

********** . ENDS . **********

ISSUED BY NAMOLA.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT CLAIRE SHERWELL ON 0836441900 OR E-MAIL This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The mere fact that your gender makes you vulnerable and scared is unacceptable.

To be a woman in this country is to live in constant fear. They can’t trust their husbands, boyfriends, brothers, uncles, teachers, coaches not to hurt them.The current conversation sparked by #menaretrash is important because it raises issues that woman face every day. The violence that threatens even their existence.

Research proves that socialisation, peer pressure, media and military influences lead to violence being acceptable behaviour in men. We have to intervene in this socialisation process if we have any chance of living in a non-violent society.Fathers in Africa has developed a school Life Orientation programme that challenges this toxic masculinity at its very core.

The programme will examine how culture bombards young men with sexist and misogynistic messages. We look at ways these messages short-circuit men's ability to empathize with women, respect them as equals, and take feminism seriously. We explore some of the key messages about manhood that boys absorb from the culture -- that they should acquire material wealth, meet conflict with aggression, harden themselves, suppress all human emotion except anger, and view women primarily as sexual objects. We then examine how these messages not only devalue women but also undercut men's innate capacity for caring and empathy. Along the way, we draw fascinating parallels between sexism and racism, spelling out how each is rooted in cultural norms that discourage empathy, and shows how men who break with these norms live happier and healthier lives.

In South Africa, we spend less than a tenth on preventative violence work as we do on reactive work. Its time we reversed that. If you want to climb on board, then please contact me: 

Kevin Rutter
Fathers in Africa
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+27 716409093

Darren August takes us through a few of the experiences and relationships with his own teachers, growing up, which changed his life. He retells the stories of others too, and will surely awaken your school memories. As an experienced motivator, the book leaves not only teachers encouraged to inspire others, but everyone else will feel inspired to reach their potential and live their calling too. 

This book offers a few giggles as we see things from the perspective of a child, but is mostly introspective of the role we play in the way in which children perceive themselves. Teachers and parents will find it particularly motivating – with practical ways you could change young lives, for good. 

This book is a great resource. It’s a celebration of teachers, as instrumental parts of society – it will definitely have you thinking of the teachers that have impacted your life. Scheduled for release in October 2014 – this book is set to motivate every South African reader to once again restore the dignity of ‘The Noblest Profession”. 

About the Author 

Darren August is the Founder and CEO of Dazz Consulting – A dynamic training organisation committed to seeing people thrive and succeed.He is a Corporate Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Entrepreneur, Radio Host & former Lecturer.He is passionate about Life; People and Education and together with his wife – Arlene, they believe in maximizing every opportunity to impact the lives of others. 

To order, for interview requests and other queries, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

{pp}Sixteen charities are set to receive a financial donation and media exposure to acknowledge their efforts in fighting violence against women and children, during the 16 days of activism campaign this month (25 November-10 December). This initiative is a joint effort between The Foschini Group and SAfm in support of this campaign.