Champion men nationwide are urged to partner with Carling Black Label, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and the Premier Soccer League to unite against woman abuse.
The #NoExcuse initiative was launched in November, and made a special appearance at the highly publicised Soweto Derby at the weekend.
Following their glorious win, Orlando Pirates players Mthokozisi Dube and Innocent Maela wore the #NoExcuse armbands to show support for the initiative by the local beverage company.
According to M-Sports Marketing spokesperson Bingi Mavi, the movement was about there being no excuse for men to perpetrate any form of violence against women, and no excuse for people to be bystanders.
Before the Soweto giants clashed, 70 women from various backgrounds were selected to create a #NoExcuse choir, and they performed a rendition of the song Mas’hambe Nono.
In true Mzansi style, they adapted the lyrics to raise awareness of the reality many women face on a daily basis - abuse by a partner.
“The song tells a story of a woman who was abused after her drunk partner arrives home from a big soccer match, at which his team lost. You can drink Carling, but drink it wisely. Carling is not an excuse to be abusive,” said Mavi.
Mavi said the Buccaneers and Amakhosi players had shown their support by taking a combined post-match group photo to communicate that South African men needed to unite against woman abuse.
Liza Monageng, a member of #NoExcuse choir, said her participation in the campaign was not about being in an abusive relationship, but she was aware of the plight of abused women.
Monageng said: “I wasn’t really in an abusive relationship, but I wasn’t helping because I was oblivious. Sometimes you don’t need to be in an abusive relationship to speak about abuse.
“I have been able to get stories from different people while being part of this choir, and people can relate. It has been liberating as a woman to speak and be heard. It has been an amazing experience, and I am glad I can make people feel like they can share their stories, and they will be heard,” said Monageng.
The vice-president of marketing for SAB and ABInBev Africa, Andrea Quaye, said: “When we launched the #NoExcuse movement, we wanted to embark on a 365-days-a-year approach.
“We have worked with both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates for the past seven years, and bringing them with us on this journey against woman abuse is something that we felt would help us reach out to more men,” said Quaye.
“We want the whole country to stand up, and for men around South Africa to know that there is no excuse for gender-based violence. We want to take action to combat this social ill,” she said.
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