One of my favourite television series is Skeem Saam, and it plays on SABC 1 every weekday, at 6.30 pm. On the Monday episode, the fictional-story principal Magongwa of the famous Turf High School spoke about his vision for the year 2023, which is to pay more attention to the boy child and ensure that they give them the necessary support to be better men. 

Typically, his suggestion was met with rejection by some of his on-screen colleagues, and he was accused of promoting sexist and patriarchal behaviours of the boys in his school, which is far from the truth. At that point, I wished that everyone who is concerned about the high levels of crimes and gender-based violence (GBV) in the country was watching.  

The question is always: why are we not including all children?We often forget about the boy child.  We have neglected the boys in our society and it is not getting any better. Prison cells are filled with young black men.  

To want to focus on the boys and their masculinity is not a competition of the sexes; it is about saving them from themselves thus making our society a safer space for every child, everyone, especially the girl child.  

From the media in Mzansi across the board, I hope that someone in power makes it his or her responsibility to tell good, inspiring and positive stories about black masculinity, so that many young black men may start seeing themselves in a different light. As things stand, they are subjected to too many stories that will not aid in the quest to build a non-violent, non-sexist and non-toxic society. 

There is power in storytelling and mainstream media has to do better. The late Bell Hooks argued that, "mainstream media sources often provide limited examples of potential role models for young black men to set their aspirations. Considering the high levels of media that young black men consume, it is important to investigate how black men negotiate negative images in media and how these images inform their constructions of masculinity.” 

Black boys and young men have to reimagine themselves. This can happen quicker and more effectively if the various media platforms take some form of responsibility in how they report news. There should be a deliberate move to search for these positive stories about black boys and men and run with them. 

“When women get together and talk about men, the news is almost always bad news. If the topic gets specific and the focus is on black men, the news is even worse,” writes Hooks.

Those are the words you find on the blurb of Hooks’ book, titled, We Real Cool, Black men and masculinity. 

Even when we open newspapers, watch the news on TV, a drama series or a quick run on the website, we hardly come across a positive story about men, particularly black men. 

In fighting GBV, the toxicity of masculinity, and the injustices caused by men, black men in particular, we ought to continue to ask the question: what  about the boys? 

Luckily, that isn’t just a question, it is a movement that PrimeStars is championing. It is an initiative that seeks not just to shine a light on the problem, but to become part of the solutions to create a new cohort of brilliant, self-aware, self-loving, and confident black men. 

Ideally, a newspaper is supposed to be like a buffet, you should be served political, educational, business, sports, and human interest stories and analyses that will look at the geopolitical, sociopolitical, and psychosocial affairs to name but a few. Even if the main objective is politics, the layers of politics should not be limited to political parties and political analysts.  

The issues of healthy vs unhealthy masculinity, absent fathers and present fathers, single moms, and child-headed families are more political than the political parties and leaders themselves. However, we have reduced the scope of what encompasses politics in our country so much that when we say politics sells, we are looking at the one side of thieves, unfaithful, misleading and dishonest individuals that masquerade as leaders.  

This may be my last column talking about this sensitive and necessary subject of healthy masculinity, great black men, and the potential of a South African society that is alive with the possibilities of building a nation of good men. 

Just like Skeem Saam and it's more than 10 years of dedication and vision to shape, influence, and nurture all types of healthy masculinities in their storylines, I shall continue to champion the importance of writing about these daily issues that affect us in our society.