IN A POWERFUL initiative aimed at celebrating excellence and fostering mentorship, the Galeshewe Gentlemen’s Dinner is set to return this year, promising to ignite hope in young men by connecting them with established mentors and role models.

Founded by Pule Tau in 2016, this annual event brings together successful men from various sectors to share their stories and inspire and empower young men, particularly those from households with absent fathers.

Tau emphasised the importance of equipping boys to become supportive leaders and fathers, just as girls are empowered to be future leaders.

“Over the years, this event has not only highlighted the achievements of men from Galeshewe who have made significant strides across various sectors, both locally and globally, but has also served as a beacon of hope for younger generations.

“We want to show them that their environment does not define their aspirations,” said Tau.

“The boy child needs support and guidance just as much as girls do. We often forget that these boys will become future fathers and husbands. If we neglect their empowerment, we cannot expect them to be strong leaders in their families and communities. We need to teach and show them how a respectable man conducts themselves and transfer those skills to them.

“Many of our boys only have men who are caught up in criminal activities or who perpetrate the social ills we face daily as their reference for manhood. We need to show them that you can be a successful and dignified man while also being a law-abiding citizen.”

Diverse array of guests

Tau said this year’s dinner will host a diverse array of honoured guests, including prominent figures from the business sector, sports community, arts fraternity and both the private and government sectors.

“This year's dinner will feature mining magnate, businessman, former Sol Plaatje municipal manager and provincial Masakhane manager, advocate Phemelo Sehunelo as the main speaker. Phemelo will be discussing the impact of youth unemployment as well as sharing possible solutions to how government and the private sector can address this problem.

“Another speaker is gender-based violence (GBV) survivor Boitumelo Nyambi, who will share her story to educate young men on how not to become perpetrators of such crimes.”

Tau added that the event has over the years also strengthened the bond between fathers and their sons.

“The event has also fostered stronger relationships between fathers and sons, providing a platform for meaningful conversations and bonding experiences. We have several fathers who have made it an annual calendar event for themselves and their sons, where they can discuss some challenging topics in a relaxed and positive atmosphere.”

The ultimate goal

Tau added that the ultimate goal of the event is to empower men to fulfil a protective role within the community.

“We, as men, are the greatest perpetrators of the social ills we see in our communities. We need to call each other to order and hold each other accountable when we stray from doing the right thing.

“We cannot sit and be spectators to the vulgar behaviour of some men. We need to teach the boy child that we are opposed to such behaviour.

“This is not just an event where we sit and clap for each other, but it also shows everyone who is on this journey to success, that there are younger men who are keeping an eye on them.

“It is not just our boys that need to be encouraged to be upstanding men, but the current men and fathers also need to be accountable for the role they play in either addressing or contributing to these issues,” Tau concluded.