Sports brand launches free self-defence classes for women

Johannesburg may be known for its high crime rate, but now a major sports brand is taking the initiative to empower women by giving them free self-defence classes.

Reebok South Africa’s “Pretty Lethal” campaign aims to “[educate] women across the country with the necessary tools to walk tall, with confidence, by learning the basics of self-defence”.

Reebok brand director Peter-John Morrily said although a self-defence class would not change the crime statistics in South Africa, the classes would give women a sense of empowerment.

“Our goal, first and foremost, is to support women across South Africa. We can’t control the negative forces in our country. But what we can do is provide the tools and knowledge that give our women a fighting chance.

“It’s about overcoming fear and being able to walk around with dignity, self-confidence, and above all, pride,” he said.

The classes run daily, Monday to Friday, only in Johannesburg beginning April 18 to May 19 from 7pm to 8pm.

Each class consists of 30 and takes place at the following Fight Club gyms:

Bryanston Fight Club

Honeydew Fight Club

Dainfern Fight Club

Centurion Fight Club

Westside Fight Club

Victory Park Fight Club

Southside Fight Club

Reebok recently named TV personality and model Keitumetse Naomi Noinyane, known as K Naomi, as the ambassador for the Pretty Lethal campaign.

The “campaign [is] to recognise the value of women, empower and acknowledge how it is possible to combat all the issues we deal with, from rape, self confidence issues ... everything!” K Naomi wrote on Instagram.

Reebok says that all their instructors are trained in mixed martial arts and will be focusing on threat neutralisation with simultaneous defensive and offensive manoeuvres.

Although the classes are only in Johannesburg, Reebok SA says its ultimate goal is to spread to the rest of the country.