Rilinde Ndou from Malale village in the Niani area has published his first book, titled Ndifelani. In it, the author addresses gender-based violence (GBV) through a true-story narrative.
Ndou's book encourages women not to remain silent about abuse, regardless of its form. "We live in a society where women and children are being abused physically, sexually and emotionally, [and are] getting killed every day. My book reminds people that it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to create a society free of violence, and that the only way to achieve this is to get victims to report gender-based violence to the police."
He said South Africa needs more responsible men to stand together and reject violence against innocent women and children.
Having witnessed the profound impact of GBV on affected families, Ndou said he decided to document his experiences in a book. "It is like a terminal disease in our communities. Whether you switch on the radio, read the newspaper, or watch television, the killing or abuse of women and children is always the main headline," he said.
The issue of GBV holds significant personal importance for Ndou. "When is all this going to end, and when will women and children be left alone to live in peace? We have had enough of men who continue with this kind of abuse. We must all stand up and fight this disease together," he said.
Ndou said he wanted to address the subject in literary form, believing that many people would grasp the message upon reading the book. "In many cases, partners or families are fighting or involved in domestic violence because of a lack of communication and understanding among themselves. The recurring public discourse in our society is that 'men are trash,' and the book outlines the root causes of gender-based violence in a fictional way."