Selokela Molamodi is in conversation with Dr Mzamo Masito about his book, This Country Hates Our Boys, a searing exploration of the complex relationship South African society holds with its Black and Coloured men and boys.
More about the book:
The widely accepted phrase ‘amadoda zizinja’ – men are dogs – is more than a colloquialism; it’s a symptom of a society where positive masculine role models are scarce. This linguistic shortcut flattens the nuanced reality of masculinity into a single, simplistic concept of patriarchy, obscuring the complex, chaotic social issues at play.
Through the vital work of African Men Care, a non-profit organisation, Dr Masito unpacks the interlocking crises facing Black boys and men: educational disparities, mental health struggles, pervasive violence, and fractured relationships. More crucially, the book illuminates a clear path forward.
‘Every man is every boy’ is not merely an observation but a powerful call to action. The struggles of adult men today are often rooted in the unaddressed needs and unrealised potential of the boys they once were. The lament ‘awekho amadoda’ (there are no men) serves as a stark warning: without decisive intervention, we risk losing entire generations. This book reveals how individual trauma metastasises into a collective crisis. When boys lack robust interior lives and positive identity models, the repercussions echo through families, schools, and communities. Hurt boys mature into hurting men, perpetuating cycles that impact everyone, including the girls and women in their lives.
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South Africa