Zuma urged to condemn homophobia in State of the Nation address

A campaign has been launched calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobia in his upcoming seventh State of the Nation address.

Created by the African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC), the campaign urges supporters to use twitter to pressure Zuma to address the matter in his 12 February speech in Parliament.

“South Africa still suffers from huge incidence of rape against women, an enormous violent crime rate, homophobia and transphobia against its LGBTI community,” wrote the South African-born, US-based activist and Executive Director of AHRC, Melanie Nathan.

“The South African Constitution is fully inclusive and also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Surely It is the President’s duty to remind all South Africans to abide [by] the Constitution and of their duty to respect all in South Africa,” she said.

AHRC has called on members of the public and human rights activists to send the tweet: @PresidencyZA #ZUMA Please include #LGBTI in your #SONA2015 by calling on South Africa to STOP HOMOPHOBIA against fellow equal citizens.

President Zuma was praised last month for condemning violent crimes against members of the LGBTI community. “These attacks are despicable and they must be stopped,” he said at the 103rd anniversary of the ANC in Cape Town.