Call to end LGBTQI+ hate crimes
The Gay and Lesbian Network (GLN) in Pietermaritzburg is one of 22 organisations that has endorsed a joint statement calling for government to take the hate crime murders against the LGBQTI+ community seriously.
This follows a spate of brutal hate crimes that have rocked the LGBQTI+ community in recent months. The statement details six known hate murders from all over the country, including one in Edendale, which took place within the last two months.
“Since the dawn of democracy, LGBTIQ+ South Africans have been brutalised, raped and killed across our nation... So many more have gone unrecognised as hate crime victims at all because, even today, we still have no hate crime legislation in this country,” said the GLN.
“Today we still fear to simply be ourselves, to dress how we choose or to share an embrace
– not only in public but also among those who we may count as friends and neighbours. They too are our murderers; sometimes children as young as 14 years old,” the statement read.
The GLN said the LGBQTI+ community constantly faces discrimination, especially on social media platforms where queerphobic words, threats and slurs are thrown around with no consequences. “Our community’s plight is a bloody stain spreading across our constitutional democracy and our leadership.”
The collective of organisations demanded President Cyril Ramaphosa ``unequivocally speaks out, condemns and calls for an end to the violent attacks on the LGBTIQ+ community.” Furthermore, it requested the South African government “urgently finalise and enact” the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill, which was approved by cabinet in 2018.
The organisations also calls on the government to start a mass LGBTQI+ sensitisation programme in government departments, such as SAPS and Department of Home Affairs, and to combat heterosexism on an administrative and government level. This includes the formation of gender-neutral bathrooms, gender-neutral hospital rooms, and gender-neutral detention centres.
“We also demand that the South African media more comprehensively report and speak out on these incidents to raise awareness and provide information to society. Finally, we demand that all of South Africa’s citizens take responsibility to stamp out the abhorrent queerphobic views and actions of their friends, families and neighbours,” read the statement.
GLN director Anthony Waldhausen said the organisation was disappointed that the government doesn’t seem to be taking their plight seriously. “The hate crime and hate speech bill has been in Parliament for four years. Nothing has been done about getting it enacted. The GLN is concerned, especially with the recent spikes of hate crimes throughout the country. That’s why we have formed part of this collective of organisations in South Africa to jointly come up with ways to actively address this,” Waldhausen said.
Cabinet did recently express concern on the rise in hate crimes against the LGBTQI+ community. “These heinous crimes and acts of harassment have no place in our democracy and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all of us,” said Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni during a post-Cabinet briefing.
This weekend, SA and ANC President Ramaphosa issued a statement in support of LGBTQI+ rights. “The ANC reiterates our complete support for the LGBTQI+ persons and condemns hate crimes against this community. No one has the right to discriminate against or attack anyone based on their sexual orientation or gender,” said Ramaphosa on behalf of the NEC.
In commemoration of International Day against Homophobia,
Transphobia and Biphobia on May 17, the GLN is planning a number of demonstrations around the city to highlight hate crimes against LGBTQI+ people.