TO STAND up against gender-based violence, the Eastern Cape Provincial office of Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) and various stakeholders led a 100 Men March on Friday at Scenery Park.

The march saw Buffalo City men joining the event march to demonstrate their commitment to making South Africa a safer place for all.

A Needs Camp resident, whose name has been withheld, said  he was is a former drug addict who once abused women. He attended the march under the supervision of Correctional Services.

“I lost my mother, now I don’t have a mother – I killed her because of drugs.

“I want to tell men that they should not use drugs.

“Even now, many of my friends do not trust me even though I have changed because of the things I have done. I want to encourage others to stay very far away from drugs and respect women,“ said the resident said.

Nosipho Tokwe, a Scenery Park resident, applauded the men for standing up against violence.

“It is right what they are doing because they are abusing us, especially the things that are happening here in Scenery Park.

“I want all of them to join so they can stop being animals,” she said.

Resident Vuyo Dzawuse said: “The reason I am part of this march is because we are tired of only hearing the voice of women. said resident Vuyo Dzawuse said.

“We need, as men, to walk with them and amplify their voices.

“The few words I could say  to any man who is abusive to women  is that it is over now, the time of abusing women is over.”