History to be made? Minister Gigaba to attend Pretoria LGBTI Pride

It’s been confirmed that Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba will attend Pretoria Pride on Saturday to receive an award for supporting the LGBTI community.

Gigaba was earlier this week announced as the recipient of the first annual Pretoria LGBTI Pride/GaySA Radio Human Rights Award.

According to Pretoria Pride organiser Bruce Walker, this will be the first time that a cabinet minister will attend a Pride event in South Africa.

“He has sent us confirmation that he will be there,” Walker told Mambaonline on Friday. “He is coming and he will receive the award and will say something.”

Gigaba is expected to be presented with the award at around 1pm, after the march.

The minister has been applauded for his recent decision to bar American gay-hate pastor Steven Anderson and his followers from South Africa.

The newly created annual Human Rights Award has been awarded to Gigaba “for standing up for the LGBTI community and using the laws at his disposal to protect their rights, reiterating that LGBTI rights are protected not only in principle but also in practice”.

The fourth annual Pretoria LGBTI Pride will be held at the Centurion Rugby Club on Saturday 1 October. The gates open at 9am, followed by the bar and the start of entertainment, both at 10am. The march will kick off at 12pm and will return to the venue at around 1pm. More details here.