Note: The Ekurhuleni Pride march took place shortly before media reports emerged about the shocking murders of several women in the metro.
The LGBTQI+ community and supporters took to the streets of Geluksdal on 12 September for Ekurhuleni Pride, with a march calling for greater visibility, inclusion and safety for queer people in the community.
Organised by the Ekurhuleni Pride Organising Committee (EPOC), the march began at Mponeng Park before making its way to Geluksdal Stadium, where the formal programme was held.
Ntsupe Mohapi, founder and director of EPOC, said the annual Pride event rotates between different parts of Ekurhuleni, with Geluksdal hosting this year’s celebration.
“Pride is about community awareness, it’s about starting the conversation amongst our community, you know, about LGBTQI+ rights, and also it’s about showcasing our diversity,” Mohapi told MambaOnline.
“As a queer nation, we are diverse, so people must know that we are here, we are queer, and we are everywhere.”
Mohapi said bringing Pride to Geluksdal was particularly significant given concerns around crime, hate crime and hate speech in the area. She said the organisers wanted the event to create a space where issues affecting LGBTQI+ people could be addressed while also celebrating the community.
“It was important that we come here today, due to, we know that there are safety issues and challenges,” she said, highlighting the support of Ekurhuleni structures and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD).
The march also received support from the City of Ekurhuleni, with Executive Mayor Alderman Nkosindiphile Xhakaza joining the Pride event and addressing the community.
Speaking to MambaOnline, Xhakaza said the city had taken a deliberate stance to support the LGBTQI+ community.
“Today, we are very happy that we got the opportunity to join the LGBTQI community and really the Ekurhuleni Pride event,” he said. “We decided to take a deliberate stance as a city to support this community because it is important that we demonstrate our support.”
The mayor emphasised the constitutional rights of LGBTQI+ people, including freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation, as well as rights to association and expression.
“This is a free country and as a government, we are not just here to give support, we must also ensure that we give material support, we give social support, we give health support,” he said.
Xhakaza added that the city needed to work towards greater integration and protection of LGBTQI+ communities, particularly by mobilising communities and young people.
For EPOC, the Pride march was both a celebration of queer visibility and an opportunity to keep pressing for safer and more inclusive communities.
As Mohapi put it: “We are here, we are queer, and we are everywhere.”
The Ekurhuleni Pride programme forms part of a month of activities celebrating LGBTQI+ communities and their rights.
