The “macho man” attitude of South African men is one of the main reasons they have been ranked among the most violent in the world.

The rate of violence among young men in the country is nine times higher than the global average.

The global homicide death rate among men is 13.6 per 100000, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Report on Violence and Health. In South Africa, it is 87 men per 100000, according to the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System.

South Africa ranks with Latin American countries such as Brazil (42.5 per 100000) and Colombia (122.4 per 100000) which have the highest homicide averages in the world.

This alarming trend is being explored by experts from the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) with government departments and universities in the hope of finding a solution.

An MRC study undertaken to examine the problem, which focused on young and middle-aged men, reviewed the scientific literature about male violence.

http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=856397