Whatshot
Message From Our Honourable His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini Kwabhekuzulu
Message From Our Honourable His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini Kwabhekuzulu
Accepting The Gopio Life Achievement Award, last month in Durban
Thank you for bestowing to me this prestigious award, the Gopio International Life Achievement Award. As I receive it I am thinking of many challenges facing us as citizens from different countries, continents, religious backgrounds and nationalities.
Few will disagree with me when I say what is happening in the world today shame us all. Here I am talking about corruption, political killings, violent protests, killing of farmers by criminal elements and killing of farm workers by their employees, xenophobic attacks and racism. Today I lament lack of social cohesion and widen gap between those who are poor and those who are rich in our countries and continents.
A thorn in my heart is the rape and continuous abuse of girl children and woman. This is unfortunate and is indeed a global challenge. Thus all of us should take blame and be ashamed and act against these unspeakable acts of violence against women species (SPISISI).
To quote one of our revered columnists, Mr. Eusebius (YUSEBHIYASI) McKaizer (MAKHENZI): No girl or woman has the duty to stop rape. Boys and man have a duty to stop hating (HAYITHINGI), raping and murdering women. We do it. We must end it.
Tonight I invite you to take a stand with me against women abuse. Let us together speak out against the attack on our daughters, sisters, colleagues, mothers and grandmothers.
I am afraid if we allow vitriol attack to continue on the dignity of our women in our respective countries and continents we are going backward as humanity.
In taking a stand we are making a strong statement that we have past the era of the unspoken assumption, which said that women are different. They do not have executive ability, orderly minds, stability, leadership skills and they are too emotional and worse, that they are a commodity and their existence is to service men.
As I accept this award, I dedicate myself anew to the protection and emancipation of women who are our equal partners in all what we have to do in our lifetime. I thank you.