NATIONAL PROTESTS AGAINST CORRECTIVE RAPE

Demonstrations were held in at least two cities in South Africa to protest the epidemic of corrective rape attacks on lesbian women.

The protests took place on Sunday ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), which is marked around the world on Tuesday.

Last-minute publicity of the events in Cape Town, outside Parliament and in Pretoria, near the Union Buildings, saw only around a hundred or so people turn up for each of the protests. There were also reports of other gatherings in Grahamstown and in East London.

“We cannot stand another rape of a lesbian, or a gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, queer or genderqueer person. We cannot have another one of ‘our own’ murdered. It has to stop now,” said the organisers.

“We need to place pressure on government and civil society to speed up the formation of the hate crimes task team, and to take immediate action. Policy is good and well only if it results in action and ultimately a change in our society.”

This protests took place the day after the latest lesbian hate crime victim, Nqobile Khumalo, was buried in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday. Khumalo was raped and murdered in KwaMashu, outside of Durban, earlier this month.

Meanwhile, activists from Luleki Sizwe in Cape Town have contacted LGBT organisations across the country in a search for nominees who would be willing to join the task team which will be set up with government to look at the issues of corrective rape and hate crimes.

The nominees should represent an LGBT organisation, have good communication skills and be experienced in dealing with government and laws, policies and procedures.

For more information, contact Eugene Brockman at hugebp2ink@gmail.com.