COMRADES MARATHON ADDRESSES CYBER BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) held a media briefing recently to take a stand against cyber bullying, harassment and defamation; and to clear all allegations of corruption, theft and fraud levelled against some of its previous and current Board members and general membership.

CMA Interim Chairperson, Jeff Minnaar said, “The CMA is committed to adding its voice and contributing towards an online environment that is safe and inclusive for everyone. We would also like to take a stand towards combating cyber bullying, harassment and defamation, which have become pervasive issues affecting individuals in our very own Association.”

Cyber bullying, harassment and defamation involve the use of digital platforms to intimidate, threaten, demean or humiliate individuals. These harmful behaviours have been shown to have a severe impact on an individual’s emotional and psychological wellbeing, leading to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.

Minnaar says, “I would personally like to thank the mainstream media, by and large, for not responding to the cyber bullying tactics and defamatory blogs and social media posts that have been perpetrated and disseminated by some members of the running community, bloggers and podcasters.”

The CMA believes that everyone has the right to feel safe and respected online. To address this pressing issue, we are considering taking legal action against the perpetrator/s of these acts.

We would like to ensure that such perpetrators of cyber bullying, harassment and defamation are held accountable and urge everyone to join us in this fight against such heinous acts.

We believe that it is in our best interest that we work together and strive to advocate for a safer and more respectful online community where genuine issues are dealt with in a respectful and engaging manner; and where all sides of the story are represented without bias and prejudice, free of slander, harassment and defamation.