This is Phuti Lekoloane – South Africa’s first openly gay male footballer
Phuti Lekoloane, Africa’s first openly gay professional male footballer, talks to Mambaonline about coming out in the macho sports world and being openly discriminated against. While women’s national team football players, like Portia Modise, and Olympic athlete Caster Semenya are openly LGBT, the major male sporting codes remain firmly closeted in South Africa. That started […]
MultiChoice doesn’t give a damn about censoring LGBT shows
African broadcaster MultiChoice has finally responded to our concerns about it removing Caitlyn Jenner’s show I Am Cait from its schedule – and we aren’t impressed at all. Last week, we reported that the South African-owned pay-TV company had blocked all its viewers across the continent, including in South Africa, from watching the show because […]
Mafikizolo star’s interview about the “pain” of being called gay
It seems that being seen as gay was a horrific life-changing trauma for Theo Kgosinkwe from Mafikizolo, one of the country’s most iconic groups. While some straight celebrities shrug off or even embrace rumours about their sexuality as a way to show their progressive views, Kgosinkwe explains in a new interview that he needed to […]
Cape venues: Screw the law, we don’t want your gay weddings here
Two Western Cape venues have joined a growing number of businesses that continue to flout the law by not allowing same-sex couples to marry on their premises. The anti-gay polices of the Schoongezicht restaurants and wedding venues in Paarl and in Brackenfell came to light when a lesbian couple attempted to arrange their nuptials at […]
Disturbing turn as SA Film & Publications Board refuses to condemn Kenyan homophobia
South Africa’s Film and Publications Board (FPB) has told Mambaonline that it will not condemn its Kenyan counterpart’s persecution of LGBT people. Earlier this month, we reported that the FPB had signed an agreement with the homophobic Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) to collaborate in censoring content, specifically online material. The KFCB has a history […]
Lesbian & Gay Marriage in South Africa: Part 2 – Second Class Citizens
Despite being legally afforded equal rights in South Africa, same-sex couples continue to be treated like second-class citizens by our government. While we remain the only country in Africa to boast full marriage equality under the Civil Unions Act of 2006, how does this translate into everyday life for LGBT South Africans? In the first […]
SA’s Film and Publications Board gets in bed with Kenya’s homophobic censors
South Africa’s Film and Publications Board has seen it fit to align itself with Kenya’s homophobic publications board, which regularly attacks the LGBTI community and the right to freedom of speech. According to Daily Nation, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with South Africa’s Film and Publications Board (FPB) […]
Lesbian & Gay Marriage in South Africa: Part 1 – Love & Lobola
South Africa stands out on the continent as the only nation to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. While our marriage equality law is a remarkable achievement, how does it translate into the everyday reality of our lives? Late last year, Vaivi and Sape Swartz, a lesbian couple of almost eight years, made headlines when their […]
Randy Berry: I am hopeful for LGBTI equality in Africa
Randy Berry, America’s first ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons, recently made an official visit to Southern Africa, meeting with officials, civil society activists and journalists in Botswana, Malawi, Namibia and South Africa. Appointed to the historic position early last year by the Obama administration, Berry has already visited dozens of […]
SA hate crimes bill to be revealed soon
LGBTI activists have welcomed news that South Africa’s long-awaited hate crimes bill will finally be made public in a few months’ times. The bill is expected to propose making offences based on a person’s sexuality, gender identity, race, religion or any other trait, a uniquely classified crime. The intention is to not only make a […]