However, it is the Durban Pride responses that leaves me saddened. I have personally been involved in workshops and meetings in an attempt to assist Durban Pride. Wonderful conclusions were reached and a game plan drafted. But, this was years ago – and nothing came of it.

Every effort by ANYONE to get involved is ignored. Yes, indeed, one organisation (KZNGALTA) and one business (DGLFF) ARE involved – both steered by one and the same person! So reading the organiser’s comments, I guess one can conclude that “the two has it under control”.

Durban’s community, all race groups, all genders etc, would LOVE to get involved in a well organised, well represented Durban Pride. Sadly, our efforts have been shunned over many years.

I need not comment on every one of the answers by Durban Pride in your article; I think it is VERY clear to your readers that Durban Pride is NOT transparent, not all-inclusive and certainly not run to its full potential.

A call for public participation was organised in consultation with the (one) organising body – and that happened 5 years ago. So calls for public participation as stated is a farce, to say the least.

One does not even have to KNOW what is going on in Durban to conclude from the Durban Pride Organiser’s comments – that something is terribly wrong.

What we in Durban are hoping for – is that some authority will be established to ensure that a Pride, anywhere, can not be hijacked, used for personal gain, be a one-man band or be secretive – we owe it to our LGBTI+ Community!

Here some comments regarding the Durban Pride.

6) Can you give us the names of the people who run the Pride and their positions? eg committee members / directors / board members?
-Question not fully answered and in-complete.

7) Can you provide us with the racial, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity demographics of the organisers / board members?
-Wrong again, what about the other people.

8) Are the organisers / directors / board members paying a salary or a fee to run the Pride or are they volunteers?
-They failed to mention their personal benefits, advertising their own businesses, so I take this was wrongly answered.

9) How are the people who run the pride appointed/selected?
-Incorrect. Never advertised and there is no opportunity for new members to join.

10) How can members of the community become an organiser / member in your Pride committee/board?
-Incorrect. I can provide you with at least 5 people names who repeatedly tried to contacted the Human Rights Advocacy Officer, both on email, telephone and in person over a period of 6 weeks before pride. The Human Rights Advocacy Officer in pride week walked out of an event when asked by someone why she do not respond to any responses. There was about 20-30 people who witnessed this as she stormed out, refusing to talk or great anyone.

11) Do you hold regular / annual public meetings open to the LGBTQ community for input? If so, when was your last one?
-Meetings are only held in “secret”, when you try to attend, they move it. Not sure about the “relevant public forum”, would like to know what this is.

12) Do you make the financials for the Pride event available to the community? And why/why not?
-Big problem, as many of us speculate about this.

14) Did your last Pride run at a loss, break even or make a profit?
-No proper financials is kept as per the above comments, so how can this be verified?

15) How is your Pride funded? (e.g. corporate sponsorship, donor funding, government funding, entry fees, alcohol sales etc…)
-Seems like only the volunteers are listed, not the financial sponsors.

Overall. Durban Pride is known as the “exclusive pride” for the past couple of years, highjacked by some individuals. Thanks to the DA for supporting and providing the music, but apart from this it felt more like a political rally with all the “VIVA” and slogans over the microphones. Bystanders asked us why we protesting????????

For the Human Rights Advocacy Officer to personally promote and advertise on social media “Pride afterparties” that are not openly gay supportive is discussing. Where does the Human Rights come in? Should you not support those who actively support the Gay community during the year?