CHIEFS, PIRATES, PSL AGAINST WOMEN ABUSE
South Africa’s biggest and most loved beer brand, together with the Soweto Giants, each possess a massive following of Champion Men nationwide. In understanding the power of this partnership; Carling Black Label, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and the Premier Soccer League came together to unite in support of the #NoExcuse movement against women abuse.
Before the much-anticipated Soweto Derby, a group of brave and inspiring women where pre-selected to create a #NoExcuse choir that performed a beautiful rendition of the popular ”Mas’hambe Nono” song. In true Mzansi style, the well-known song had readapted lyrics that aimed to bring awareness to the reality many women face on a daily basis, abuse by a partner.
The song tells a story of a woman who is abused after her partner arrives home from a big soccer match where his team had lost. The choir’s rendition of Mas’ambe nono raised the emphasis on the all-important message of #NoExcuse. Being under the influence of alcohol is not an excuse. Your team losing a match is not an excuse. There is #NoExcuse for women abuse.
Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs also joined forces for the movement and showed their full support against Gender Based Violence (GBV) by wearing #NoExcuse branded armbands for 90 minutes of the match.
The Buccaneers and Amakhosi amplified their support by taking a combined post-match group photo following the Soweto Derby. The symbolism behind this gesture was to communicate to South African men that we need to set our differences aside and unite against women abuse.
Last year, Carling Black Label in partnership with Takuwani Riime, embarked on the #NoExcuse journey, which marked the beginning of this bold new movement. The long-term campaign against Gender Based Violence (GBV) was launched during the national 16 Days of Activism Against the Abuse of Women and Children. The name of the movement #NoExcuse refers to there being no excuse for men to perpetrate any form of violence against women, and no excuse for people to be bystanders.
Speaking at the FNB Stadium earlier today, Andrea Quaye, Vice President Marketing, SAB and ABInBev Africa, said “When we launched the #NoExcuse movement, we wanted to embark on a 365 days a year approach. We have worked with both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates for the past seven years and bringing them with us on this journey against women abuse is something that we felt would help us reach out to more men”.
“We want the whole country to stand up and for men around South Africa to know that there is No Excuse for gender-based violence as well as take action to combat this social ill.” concluded Quaye.
The show of support at the much-anticipated derby marked the first of many activities that Carling Black Label, in partnership with Takuwani Riime, will be executing throughout the country. The aim of the activities will be to shine a spotlight on issues of Gender-Based Violence, driving awareness, creating meaningful and constructive conversations and providing tools for people to take positive action.
Carling Black Label has a profound understanding of the passion that fans have for both football and their favourite beer, thus the brand expanded its association with Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates by becoming the official Premier Soccer League (PSL) beer supplier. The PSL contract, which spans over 5 years, was concluded on the back of a successful seven-year run of the annual pre-season Carling Black Label Champion Cup clash, in partnership with the two Soweto giants.
