africans overseas condemn hate crime in sa

By Nthateng Mhlambiso (BTM Senior Reporter)

August 15, 2007: South Africa must condemn all forms of hate crimes, especially those related to sexual orientation and gender, also to legitimate hate crimes by creating a unit responsible for such crimes within the South Africa Police Services (SAPS).

These were demands by the Liberation 4 All Africans calling upon the country’s state in a night vigil held yesterday in front of the South African Consulate in New York condemning murders of lesbian women in South Africa.

According to Kagendo Morungi, one of the coordinators, the night vigil was particularly meant to honour the lives of Sizakele Sigasa, Salome Masooa, Thokozani Qwabe, lesbian women who have been recently murdered

“We also want to honour all those who had been victims of hate crimes in the African continent and to celebrate the lives of women who have survived hate crimes.”

In support of the 07-07-07 campaign, the night vigil also called for the development of a policy, guidelines and curriculum on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people for service providers.

“We echo the demands of the 07-07-07 campaign to the government of South Africa noting the high levels of fear, intimidation and discrimination, lack of safety and security as well as lack of freedom faced by LGBTI people in that country”, Morungi said.

Among the speakers were Nonhlanhla Mkhize representing the Joint Working Group (JWG) from South Africa, Carry Johnson of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), Scott Long of Human Rights Watch and Tokes Osubu from Gay Men of African Descent just to mention a few.

Representatives of the Liberation 4 All Africans, spiritual leaders and spoken word artists also attended this night vigil which was closed with a moment of silence in honour of Sigasa and Masooa and other victims of hate crimes.

Morungi boasted to be working with a person like Mkhize because she can make some impact for the cause of the night vigil in particular.