Deputy President David Mabuza was highly criticised by South Africans on social media following his keynote address on World Aids Day at the Dobsonville stadium.
The deputy president directed part of his speech at young people, who he encouraged to get tested for HIV, further telling young men to “respect” women.
His message to young women, however, failed to impress South Africans, who said his message should have focused more on the perpetrators instead of the victims.
SA Gov News posted on Twitter: “Deputy President Mabuza says young girls from poor families must work hard to change the situation so they don’t have to be vulnerable to older men who abuse them because of their family backgrounds.”
Radio and TV personality Redi Tlhabi responded: “Deputy president utters this and you go ahead and tweet it? You have not identified the dangerous subtext here?
“You have not seen that the only problem here is abusive men and no amount of working hard protects women? The people who need instructions are abusive men, not poor girls.
“And the deputy president missed this opportunity to address his peers? The older men? The abusive men? He couldn’t call out violent predatory men but instead had a message for poor young girls? Okay.
“Working hard in country where there is no work, no access to quality education, pit toilets, shacks, etc means what? ALL children, girls & men themselves are vulnerable because of violent men. No hard work can protect them. People are not poor because they are not working hard.”
Those who agreed with Tlhabi said the president should have used the opportunity to address older men who preyed on younger women instead of putting the burden of redress on the victims.
However, Twitter user Thapelo Bhila said he saw nothing wrong with the deputy president’s message as it was directed to the young women.
“Kodwa he should have continued to lambast older man for taking advantage of young girls from poor background…. I think,” he added.
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