The Sunday News
Thembinkosi Khumalo, Sunday News Reporter
SOCIETY has somehow fashioned an illusion that men do not cry yet many men have been victims of suicide and depression because they bottle up emotions.
It is not opening up and sharing irksome experiences that men go through that is hard, it is only the fear of being seen as weak.
In as much it is said that women are the mostly abused and go through tough situations, men also go through the same or even more.
Mzingaye Roderick Sibanda known by his stage name The Shoemaker, hosted a men’s conference — a social event which coincided with a video shoot for his song titled Inhloko which features Msiz’kay, Rockie Doub, Luminous Garnet, Killemol, Prozac and Sox The Poet.
He said the gathering of men eating inhloko (cow head) was something traditional and was where various subjects were brought up.
“Basically, I wanted to gather the gents so that we can discuss issues that affect men leading to depression and suicide. The objective is for men to open up and find solutions to whatever they go through in life. It is not proper that men commit suicide over something that someone may solve if the problem is shared.
I then decided to take the opportunity to do a video for my song Inhloko because inhloko brings people together. Even long back, people would gather and speak about issues over inhloko,” said the Shoemaker.
The discussion was facilitated by Makhosi Sibanda who is executive producer of the Men’s Conference podcast.
Babongile Sikhonjwa who was part of the conference said, “I had to rush and come here to support these young men because this is a very serious issue. Men have to open up about what they are going through. The Shoemaker did a good job by organising the gents to come together and discuss issues that we face.
“Naturally and culturally, as men we are supposed to provide for everyone in the family. The burden is very heavy especially living in an economy like ours.
Most of the guys gathered here are not employed but they have got children and families to take care of. This event is also important for people like myself, because women talk and discuss issues and they even have formulas for ‘fixing’ guys but we do not.
At the end of the day, if we do not open up, talk and solve these issues, we are most likely to have the same problems over and over again so we really need to talk,” he said.
