Let’s talk about the boys.
Not the ones you see dancing on TikTok.
The ones you don’t see anymore.
The ones who used to have spark — but now sit at the corner store every day, head down, asking for “2 rand.”
The ones who vanish after high school.
Township boys don’t just disappear.
They get swallowed by the silence of disappointment.
The Real Problem: A System That Doesn’t Catch Them
Our society doesn’t know what to do with boys after they fail once.
Fail a grade? You’re “lazy.”
Struggle with depression? “Be a man.”
Don’t have money? “Get a job.”
Can’t find one? “Try harder.”
So, what do most boys do?
They shut down.
They disappear.
They numb the pain with groove, substances, fake confidence, or violence.
These disappearances aren’t always physical.
Sometimes the boy is there — but his spirit is gone.
What Really Happened to Them?
Here’s what no one says out loud:
He needed a mentor and got a critic.
He needed healing and got pressure.
He needed guidance and got silence.
He needed help, but no one asked if he was okay.
We didn’t lose them to failure.
We lost them to hopelessness.
What Saved Me
I was one of those boys.
I grew up in Mhluzi, Middelburg.
I had moments where I doubted everything.
But I had a father who taught me early lessons — like how to use an ATM when I was 7.
I had access to the Book of Knowledge encyclopedias.
I had someone like Mr. P.T. Mokone, a teacher who believed in me, pushed me, and reminded me that I mattered.
That’s what every boy needs:
A reminder that he matters — even when he’s broke, behind, or hurting.
How Do We Save Them?
We don’t need more lectures.
We need more presence.
Here’s what we do:
Show up for boys, even when they mess up.
Create safe spaces for honesty.
Teach them about money, discipline, relationships, and failure.
Let them cry without calling them weak.
Mentor them, even if it’s just one hour a week.
That’s what I’m trying to do through:
#happymajidamonday
Let’s Be Clear
This isn’t about making excuses.
It’s about creating bridges for those who were never taught how to swim.
Township boys don’t need saving — they need someone to light the path and walk with them.
Final Thought
Don’t write them off. Write them letters.
Don’t count them out. Count them in.
Don’t bury them in silence. Speak life into them.
Let’s stop losing our boys to shadows.
Let’s call them back into the light.