​South Africa is faced with a great challenge in advancing the rights of a boychild, in December 2022, more than 20 boys died in initiation schools and the silence on the side of the public is still a great concern. Recently, a grade 10 learner at Geluksdal Secondary School in Ekurhuleni was stabbed to death following an alleged fight between Black and Coloured learners during and after schooling hours. 
The 18-year-old boy, Shawn Mphela was killed by a fellow school mate following issues of racial tensions that has sparked debate within the community. The question that should be asked is does a life of a boy child matter? It is these above incidents that led to a conversation with Chief Director, Bongani Ngomane. 

The Chief Director is a champion of the Gauteng Department of Social Development Men’s Forum and has reflected on some of the programmes offered to empower boys to become better and responsible men. 

He said, “Boys should know that violence, discrimination and oppressing others for whatever reason is wrong, therefore bullying should be reported to teachers, pastors, parents and social workers.” 

“When you report a bully, you are saving other children from being victimised and violated,” said Ngomane, who recently received an award on behalf of the Gauteng Boys Scouts Programme. 

The Boys Scout Programme is designed to ensure that boys become responsible South Africans, and empowers them with life skills, survival skills, patriotism, and spiritual upliftment.

“Through this programme, we also educate boys on dangers of women abuse, and how to respect women and all other human beings so that they become agents in fighting the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF),” said Ngomane.

He added, “The Gauteng Department of Social Development Men’s Forum has partnered with SCOUTS SA, in implementing the programme for boys in selected schools and townships within the province.”

“We have been doing a lot of work in the empowerment of a boychild, such as the establishment of Gauteng Boychild Network and the celebration of International Day of the Boychild and of course, the successful funding and recruitment of 180 boys to be part of the boys scout programme.”

“It is these efforts that has made the Department’s Boys Scouts Programme to be recognised and be given a certificate from the organisers of International Men’s Day,” said Ngomane. 

He added that the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Men and Boys, which is observed annually on the 31 January, is critical as it seeks to educate and mobilise the whole world against the abuse of a boychild. 

It seeks to provide a voice for boys, for the world to know that it is not only women and children who are victims of violence, but men and boys too are victims.