Nomsa Mazwai at the frontline of a movement to decriminalise sex work
Johannesburg will be a buzz on Thursday, May 27 as hundreds of women and men as well as over one hundred sex workers taking part in a walk, walking in heels from Johannesburg CBD to Hillbrow in solidarity with sex workers in decriminalising sex work.
Sex work in South Africa is still criminalised under the Sexual Offences Act that was drafted during the apartheid era and sex workers have been fighting for the right to work freely in South Africa and feel safe while doing so. Activist and #FunkltlmWalking founder, Nomsa Mazwai is rallying behind decriminalisation of sex work, joining forces with organisations SWEAT and Sisonke in bringing the plight of sex workers to the forefront in a bid to decriminalise sex work.
#FunkItImWalking is an organisation whose sole aim is to make the streets safer for women to walk at any time of day in any condition. The organisation is demanding safety for sex workers and any woman who is walking to work, the store, or exercising in a country where femicide is one of the biggest concerns and women are not safe. The team is calling on people to join the walk on Thursday, May 27 as hundreds of women and men, advocates/activists, political figures, celebrities, the general public, and over one hundred sex workers taking part walking in heels from Johannesburg CBD to Hillbrow in solidarity with sex workers in decriminalising sex work.
“It is 2021 and sex work is still criminalised under the Sexual Offences Act that was drafted during the apartheid era. Sex workers autonomously choose to do this work; they are providers– mothers, fathers, caregivers, taxpayers and should be treated as such. Sex work must be recognised as work! Sex worker’s rights should be part of labour rights, join the walk to make the government take note and change the Sexual Offences Act.” commented Dudu Dlamini – SWEAT Advocacy Manager.
“Sex worker rights should be part of labour rights. The extent of structural, sexual and physical violence sex workers face links to sex workers’ rights not recognised as part of labour rights.” Dlamini added.
The walk will highlight challenges faced by sex workers, to improve their quality of life, to ensure a safe working environment, address the risks of human trafficking, and the need for sex workers to have access to the justice system to address violence and abuse from clients, the police, intimate partners as well as brothel owners.
“#FunkItImWalking aims to make it safe for a woman to walk at any time of day in any condition. Injury to one is an injury to all. If sex workers are not safe, none of us are safe. Sex workers are especially vulnerable because when they are victims of illegal acts of violence, they cannot seek assistance or protection from law enforcement. As #funkItImWalking, we knew this is a call we could support, as it enables a situation where women are safe to walk” commented Mazwai.
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