SA Bachelor gets stuck in to bullying scourge

AS SA Bachelor of the Year, it would be easy to mistake Emanuel Pietersen for just another good-looking guy.

However, while this handsome man wears several hats, including motivational speaker, singer, songwriter and theatre performer, his work as an anti-bullying activist is what makes him tick.

This cause brings him to Amanzimtoti this week, as he visits Doonheights Primary School on Friday, 17 March, to speak to the children about the issue of bullying which is very close to his heart.

The former Pietermaritzburg local was the youngest in a family of four who was bullied endlessly at school for being poor. He finally convinced his parents to take him out of school and he completed his matric at technikon. He moved to Gauteng shortly after completing his studies in mechanical and electrical engineering and began pursuing his dreams of becoming a performer.

He notched up several slots in adverts and then landed a role in Egoli, just before production on the popular soapie ended.

After deciding to try his hand at singing and songwriting, he released his first studio album in 2013 which did well with all three of his originals from that album making it into the top 20 charts in SA and the Netherlands.

It was around this same time that he became involved in charity work, and started volunteering for CANSA. He started his own anti-bullying campaign named Resolve-Stop Bullying, which led to his latest challenge of competing to become South Africa’s most eligible bachelor. “The year was long and gruelling but I got to change so many lives,” said Emanuel. Last November he was announced as the new South African bachelor of the year and also got one of the leads, as Orin Scrivello (the sadistic dentist from Skidrow) in Little Shop of Horrors at the Melodie Theatre in Hartebeespoort which ended in December.

Emanuel says he harboured anger issues in his young adult years and was depressed as a result of his being bullied at school, which led him to initiate the anti-bullying drive. Of bullies, he said: “Most kids don’t even realise what they are doing. I refuse to sit down and allow another kid to be bullied.”  His Resolve-Stop Bullying campaign dovetails well with the SA Bachelor initiative, TALK which stands for Tolerance, Appreciation, Literacy and Kindness.

He believes the scourge of bullying is worse than ever, and it’s fed by the stresses of our ailing economy. “The common answer whenever I contact a school is that the teachers aren’t allowed to do anything. This is sickening because although teachers are there to teach, they are also there to play an active part in the children’s life,” he said. “You don’t have to hit a child to get your point across. In the same breath I think parents have become lazy. They don’t give children the attention they might need. Even worse, they take out their frustration on them. In return the child goes to school and looks for attention by bullying others,” he added, citing just one of the common scenarios.

Emanual is in KZN this month, and schools who want to host his campaign can contact him via email at  info@emanuelpietersen.co.za or Sonel Steyn on sonel.steyn1979@gmail.com.  He will also visit the Free State, Eastern Cape and Gauteng. Emanual has a helpline for adults as well as children who are being bullied or abused.  It is completely confidential, and people can contact him via info@emanuelpietersen.co.za for advice.  “I hope more people start getting involved as it is our responsibility to stand up for those who can’t.”

Have you ever been bullied?

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