South Africa’s democracy cannot be measured only by the rights written into law, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike said this week, warning that many LGBTI+ people still experience exclusion, fear and inequality despite constitutional protections.
Letsike delivered the keynote address at an IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia) event hosted by The Other Foundation in partnership with UNAIDS at The Other Foundation’s community centre in Johannesburg on Monday.
The event brought together activists, academics, government representatives and community leaders to reflect on the gap between South Africa’s progressive legal framework and the lived realities of LGBTI+ people.
Democracy Beyond Laws and Institutions
In a powerful and deeply reflective virtual address, Letsike spoke on the 2026 IDAHOBIT theme of “At the Heart of Democracy”. She challenged attendees to think critically about what democracy truly means.
“As we mark this International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia for 2026, we are not only honouring those who have walked before us and those who resisted in the shadows so that others could stand in the light, but we are also asking ourselves a deeper question about the nature of our democracy itself,” she said.
“Because when we say that this year’s theme places us ‘At the heart of democracy’, we must interrogate what that heart looks like, who it beats for, and whether it truly carries all of us within it.”
Letsike noted that South Africa marks 30 years since adopting its Constitution in 1996, describing it as one of the world’s most progressive constitutions for recognising LGBTI+ rights long before many other nations.
Yet she cautioned that constitutional rights alone do not guarantee safety, dignity or equality in everyday life.
“The undeniable truth is that democracy, when measured only by its laws, can appear complete,” she said. “But when measured by the lived experiences of those on the margins, it reveals its gaps, its fractures, and its unfinished work.”
“This moment demands that we move beyond symbolism and ask whether freedom, as it exists today, is truly felt by those who need it most.”
‘You Cannot Legislate Acceptance’
A recurring theme throughout Letsike’s speech was the importance of recognising the intersecting realities shaping people’s lives.
“Intersectionality simply gives us a language to name what people already know in their bodies and in their daily lives — that injustice is not experienced in isolation, but in layers, in overlaps, in ways that make some lives more precarious than others.”
Letsike argued that LGBTI+ inclusion cannot be separated from broader struggles against poverty, gender-based violence, xenophobia and inequality.
“We cannot build safe spaces for queer people in a society that remains violent toward women, that continues to marginalise the poor, that excludes persons with disabilities, and that scapegoats migrants,” she said.
She stressed that laws alone cannot dismantle prejudice or create genuine acceptance.
“You can legislate equality,” Letsike said. “The challenge before us is that we cannot legislate acceptance without also transforming the material and social conditions that shape how people live, how they are seen, and how they are treated.”
Warning Over Anti-Gender Movements
Letsike also warned about the growing influence of anti-rights and anti-gender movements across Africa and globally, describing them as organised and strategic threats to democracy and inclusion.
“These anti-gender movements are not merely ideological; they are political, they are strategic, and they are well-resourced,” she said.
“They seek to shrink civic space, to silence dissenting voices, and to reassert control over bodies and identities.”
Rejecting claims that LGBTI+ identities are “un-African”, Letsike pushed back strongly against narratives used to justify discrimination.
“There is nothing un-African about dignity, nothing foreign about love, and nothing unnatural about people living as their full selves,” she said.
“If we are to speak honestly, it is many of the ideas that seek to suppress diversity that have their roots in colonial histories, imposed upon us and later internalised as tradition.”
Inclusion Must Be Felt in Everyday Life
Letsike emphasised that democracy must be measured by whether vulnerable communities can safely and fully participate in society.
“It requires us to move beyond representation toward material transformation, to ask whether people have access to housing, to healthcare, to education, to economic opportunities,” she said.
“Because dignity is not an abstract ideal; it is something that must be felt in everyday life.”
She added: “A democracy that does not protect its most vulnerable is incomplete, and a democracy that allows some to live freely while others live in fear is not yet just.”
Using the metaphor of a garden, Letsike described democracy as something that must be actively protected and nurtured.
“The image of democracy as a garden is a powerful one, because it reminds us that democracy is not static; it is something that must be nurtured, protected and cultivated,” she said.
“And right now, there are forces attempting to poison that garden, to uproot its diversity and replace it with uniformity.”
Panel Explores Challenges Facing LGBTI+ Movements
Following the keynote address, a panel discussion explored the theme “From Constitution to Community”, examining the gap between South Africa’s legal protections and social realities.
The discussion featured UNDP representative Ntokozo Mahlangu, academic and author Dr Daniel Conway, Lesbian & Gay Community Centre Executive Director Nonhlanhla Mkhize, and The Other Foundation programme officer Samuel Shapiro.
Panellists discussed the impact of shrinking donor funding, geopolitical shifts and anti-rights movements on LGBTI+ organising across Southern Africa. The conversation also highlighted the urgent need for funding diversification, stronger community resilience strategies and more inclusive regional diplomacy.
A key focus was ensuring that lesbian, trans and intersex communities remain centred in advocacy efforts during a period of growing political and economic pressure on civil society organisations.
The event ultimately served as both a celebration of progress and a sobering reminder that constitutional rights alone are not enough if they are not experienced in people’s daily lives.
