gay community to face government about safety

By Nthateng Mhlambiso (BTM Senior Reporter)

July 16, 2007: Gay activists plan to confront government about lack of safety for homosexual people in South African communities, a challenge which they say the Civil Union Act and the constitution have not met so far.

This was announced at an emotional joint funeral of Soweto lesbians Sizakele Sigasa (34) and Salome Masooa (23), held at Bapedi hall in Meadowlands on Saturday 14 July.

Believed to be victims of hate crime, the two women�s bodies were found with gunshots at a mine dump in meadowlands on Sunday 7 July. It is this brutal killing that made women�s and gay rights groups across the country go wild.

Speaking at the funeral Prudence Mabele of Positive Women�s Network declared her anger at the perpetrators and asked people to challenge government about safety of women in communities.

 �After this funeral let us ask Mbhazima Shilowa �where is the security?� let us call on the deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to intervene on the crime against women and let us make the 16 days, 365 days of activism against women and children abuse.�

Expressing their grief, the gay community protested in front of Bapedi Hall, singing and wielding placards with messages �an injury to one is an injury to all�, �gay rights are human rights� and so forth.

Overcome by grief family members spoke about the deceased and how they respected their lifestyle. They also urged other parents to talk to and to listen to their children.

�The death of these children made me to be born again. It made me realise that we, parents should not expect our children to live the way we want them to live, they have a choice. All people are different and let us acknowledge and respect that difference.� Nthabiseng Masooa, a sister in law in the family said.

She warned parents to be careful of how they raise their children. �We condition our children. When we raise them, we buy girls dolls that show that we expect them to be married and have children. And we buy boys cars and guns. When they do not live according to our expectations we then disown them. This must stop, we may not accept it, but let us understand change�, Masooa concluded.

Seeking justice, family members urged community members to work with the police to find perpetrators. No arrests have been made and police are still investigating.