MBOMBELA – Homosexual people in this region have voiced out their anger at the discrimination and poor service they alleged they receive at local police stations when
they want to open cases of sexual abuse.They handed a memorandum of their grievances to the KaBokweni Police Station.
Last week an organisation called Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersexual (GLBTI) in the Lowveld region, indicated they wanted to embark on a “gay pride march” which will form part of their celebration of 20 years of democracy.
It will be held on Women’s Day, August 9. The chairperson of the LGBTI in the Lowveld, Joy Kunene said,
“Our outcry has at least been heard unlike previously when we were treated discriminately. As part of celebrating our freedom, we will conduct a gay-pride march in the province.
We want to show the world that we are human beings and very proud of the way we are.” Kunene added the march was also aimed at encouraging other homosexual people to come out of the closet.
“We have realised that some people are living a fake life or pretend to be someone they are not, just because they want to please others because they are afraid that if they come out, people will victimise them. This needs to end,” said Kunene.
According to GLBTI, it’s their first time to host such a march and they expected more than 200 delegates from other provinces such Gauteng, Free State and the North West provinces to participate.
In 2011, members of the organisation lived in fear after one of their members was raped. According to Kunene, the victim told them that the perpetrators said they wanted to teach her to be a woman.
“We don’t want to hear or experience such incidents and we were pleased by the way the department of justice handled the case,” Kunene
