At the age of 12, Phinius Sebatsane was confronted with a struggle no child should have to face. "I saw my mother being attacked by my stepfather," he says. Determined to end the cycle of abuse that plagued their family, Sebatsane chased his mother's violent partner from their home. "I never saw him after that day," he says. Compelled by his personal experience, years later Sebatsane established the Rea Thusana Foundation to advocate for the end of gender-based violence. “Women shouldn’t have to rely on men to protect them, but it's up to the man to stop the violence against women," he says.
Sebatsane believes that the lack of positive male mentors is responsible for a large portion of the violence against women in South Africa. Children who witness abuse at a young age are at great risk of becoming violent themselves in future relationships. “Fortunately for me, I had male role models who journeyed with me and taught me what it means to be a man,” Sebatsane says. Rea Thusana means ‘we help one another’ in Sotho, a value instilled in Sebatsane during his upbringing in Vaalwater, Limpopo. Upon moving to Muizenberg in the Western Cape, he was inspired to do everything he could for his new community. “I started Rea Thusana to help people facing abuse and homelessness,” he says. Most women Sebatsane encounters on the streets are there as a result of gender-based violence. “A lot of women are trapped on the street because they are in toxic relationships,” Sebatsane says. “They chose to stay there because of fear.”
While homeless, women are susceptible to a variety of violent crimes, most of which go unreported. Sebatsane connects these survivors with a counsellor and offers them moral support when they are ready to report the abuse to the authorities. A compounding issue in the neighbourhood is gangsterism, as Sebatsane realised that many women struggling with homelessness are also in abusive relationships with gang leaders. “They are using fear and drugs to control them,” Sebatsane says. Over time, he has built relationships with these men. “The only way to get to the women, unfortunately, I need to get to the men,” he says. To avoid any violent outbursts, Sebatsane approaches gang members and asks to help their girlfriends get employment, reunite with their families, and enter a rehabilitation programme. “I assist vulnerable women by building relationships with them and get them into safe spaces, a shelter or rehab with their permission or when they feel ready,” Sebatsane says. In the first year of creating Rea Thusana in 2020, Sebatsane assisted five previously homeless women reconnect with their families and at least nine men leave a life of gangsterism and find employment.
“Seeing people is part of who I am and helping people is part of who I am,” he says. Instead of teaching women how to protect themselves, Sebatsane is placing the onus of change on men, encouraging them to seek therapy and become positive influences in the community. “If everyone stood against violence, we could make a lasting difference,” Sebatsane says. “We deserve a safe South Africa.”
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