Duma Ka Ndlovu: Spending time with your sons and teaching them is better than shouting slogans

Uzalo creator Duma Ka Ndlovu has added his voice to ongoing calls for men to take a more active role in educating and inspiring their sons in the fight against femicide.

South Africa has been gripped by several reports of gender-based violence and deaths over the last two weeks. On Monday the nation mourned the death of student Natasha Conabeer, who was found on Saturday after she went missing three weeks ago. A family spokesperson confirmed the 23-year-old passed away in hospital on Monday, but was unable to comment further.

Duma told TshisaLIVE that while he applauded those who protested against the scourge of femicide, he believed educating and teaching the boy child would make a bigger impact.

"I would like to encourage fathers to start spending more time with their sons and teach them. For me that is more effective than us trying to go into the streets and shouting slogans. I don't mean to put anyone down!".

He said research indicated that boys who come from homes with a present and active father were far less likely to be caught up in criminal activity.

"One of the reasons, in my opinion, that there is so much violence against women and children is the absence of the father figure in the upbringing of the black male child. We, as fathers, need to do as much as we can to be there for our children. In fact, we need to make sure we are the ones who raise sons. Then the scourge of rape and murder of our women will decrease."

Duma also called on women to start conversations to allow men to see their children.

 "Fathers, let us teach our sons how to be men. Shout out to all those fathers who are there for their sons. Let us encourage all those fathers who have not been there in their children's lives to start  going back to find their children. Let us plead with the women who will not allow fathers into their childrens' lives to start conversations."