South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has advised his fellow men in the country to stop treating women as sex objects or toys.
Ramaphosa was speaking to women at the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa gathering on Tuesday.
“Sexual harassment is a huge challenge and it happens at various levels in our country. Even at the highest levels like in offices you find it there,” Ramaphosa said.
He added: “You’ve got to curb this. Just like gender-based violence, we’ve got to raise a new level of consciousness.
“We want the men of our country to respect the women of our country. Treat them with dignity and honour, and not treat them as objects for (sexual) abuse or as (sex) toys.”
The meeting was hosted to scrutinise his government’s commitment on women empowerment amid continued outcry of gender based violence in the country.
NM/as/APA