‘Nothing can stop our pride’

Ekurhuleni Pride marches proudly through Germiston’s streets.

September 14, 2015

2 minutes read

Marchers in the Ekurhuleni Pride March have some fun along the route to Germiston Lake.

The rain was pouring and the weather freezing but this did nothing to dampen the spirits of the members of the Ekurhuleni Pride Movement, last Saturday.

The Ekurhuleni Pride March, made up of members of the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and intersexual (LGBTI) community took to the streets of Germiston in a bid to highlight the societal issues they face.

The LGBTI Ekurhuleni Pride Movement was initiated following discussions with the MMC for Health and Social Development, Clr Makhosazana Mabaso, last year, where it was decided that the metro will support and partner with the LGBTI community.

“This march is to show people that we are proud to be who we are.

“As we walk with pride let us walk in solidarity and commemorate the lives of those who died at the hands of criminals who do not understand what you are all about,” said Mabaso at the march.

The march kicked off at the Golden Walk Shopping Centre and ended at Germiston Lake where the activists converged for the formal proceedings.

Representatives from POWA, the SAPS and the Department of Justice were on hand to educate those present about their human rights and that, before the law, everyone is equal.

A proud African lesbian woman, Refilwe Lentsitse explained what Ekurhuleni Pride meant to her.

She said, “This is more than a march, this is the platform where we express ourselves.

“This is a place where I can freely say I am what am, whether I was born this way or changed to this way, I am lesbian and no one can change that.”

Among the guest speakers was “celebrity gay” Bujy Bikwa and Snowy Mamba, who is undergoing a full transition to becoming a woman.

The guest speakers urged the LGBTI community to unite and respect themselves so that the world can respect them too.

Though this was a first for the Ekurhuleni LGBTI community, a few said that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that more needs to be done by the municipality.

“There are so many more things that we want the municipality to assist us with,” said Noluvuyo Lata.

“The issue of correctional rape should be looked into deeper than just a man raping a woman; it is a hate crime based on a lack of knowledge.

“There is something wrong with that person and that is where the municipality needs to intervene.”

Amidst the pop-up poetry sessions and entertainment, the LGBTI community was encouraged to regularly go for health screenings and be responsible by protecting themselves and their loved ones against illnesses.