Parliament, Thursday - 19 November 2020: Hosted by the Department of Social Development in partnership with the South African National Aids Council (SANAC) and the Men’s Sector, the second biennial Men’s Parliament will be hosted by the Parliament of South Africa on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November 2020.

This year, the two-day National Men’s Parliament, which is convened under the banner of the Takuwani Riime Men’s Movement, will be observed under the theme: “Institutionalising a Responsive Men’s Movement.” Two-hundred-and-fifty men and boys from across the country will, during the Parliamentary sittings, engage on measures that they are undertaking in order to become agents of change and integral partners in the prevention of social ills including the spread of HIV, Gender-Based-Violence and Femicide (GBVF), unemployment and poverty.

The first day of the Men’s Parliament coincides with International Men’s Day which is celebrated annually on November 19 with the aim of celebrating boys and men who have made a positive contribution in society.

During the Men’s Parliament sitting, men and boys from various provinces are provided the platform to share outcomes of their provincial, district and municipal Men’s Parliaments, to consolidate work achieved and to establish new priorities for the next term.

The National Men’s Parliament will be led by the National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, the National Council of Provinces Deputy Chairperson, Ms Sylvia Lucas, and the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ms Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu.

Cluster Ministers - including the Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu and the Minister of Police, Mr Bheki Cele, will form part of the discussion. Deputy President David Mabuza will deliver the keynote address on the second day.

Members of the media are invited to cover the Men’s Parliament scheduled as follows: 

Date: Thursday, 19 November 2020

Time: 14h00

Venue: National Assembly Building, Parliament – Cape Town, Western Cape

Online via Zoom: https://parliament-gov-za.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpdO-vrzkrG90ZnM0WeSD0XJmmgAHBgLCL

Important to note:

Members of the media who wish to physically attend the National Men’s Parliament should send their details (full name, name of the media house, ID or passport number) to:

Mlindi Mpindi on: mmpindi@parliament.gov.za OR

Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane on: 066 480 6845 OR

Nelson Dlamini on: 078 731 0313

Media wishing to broadcast from the Parliamentary precinct should also provide details of any essential vehicles (make, registration) and equipment they wish to bring onto the precinct and time of arrival.

Parliamentary meetings are open to the media and the public. Journalists who are interested in covering these meetings (including receiving links to virtual meetings) are requested to forward their contact details to Mlindi Mpindi on email: mmpindi@parliament.gov.za, for inclusion in the Parliamentary Communications Services WhatsApp Group, where such information is shared. Journalists must forward these requests using their official email addresses (no private emails).

Members of the public may follow committee and House Sittings live on:

TV: Parliament TV (DSTV Channel 408)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParliamentofRSA 

Facebook: https://facebook.com/ParliamentofRSA

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ParliamentofRSA

Media enquiries may be directed to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 083 484 8067/ LumkaO@dsd.gov.za

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of the Department of Social Development

19 November 2020