Signals rise of rampant violence against lesbians in South African Townships
Melanie Nathan, June 25, 2012.
Phumeza Nkolonzi, a young lesbian from Nyanga Township was brutally murdered last night in front of her family and activists are asserting the motive was hate.
The murder occurred at her family home in Mau Mau, Nyanga, a township near Cape town. Phumeza was shot dead inside her home. This is the same township where Nontsikelelo Tyatyeka was found dead in a dustbin last year.
Funeka Soldaat, an LGBTI rights activist from the group Freegender reports: “Last night I received a call from comrades in Nyanga. A very young lesbian was shot dead inside the house in front of the family.” Soldaat went to visit the family today, noting that the distraught mother was too shocked to receive visitors
“I’m coming from Nyanga after seeing the family of the deceased. The name of the victim was Phumeza who was only 22yrs old. The killer was kicking the door and when the victim opened it the killer shot her. Phumeza pleaded “why?” and the he shot her again at close range in the forehead, killing her.”
Enraged by the continuing escalation of crimes against the LGBTI community, and especially lesbians, Township activists are calling on the community to unite, be on their guard and to help the family of the deceased cope with this senseless and cruel crime.
Community meetings are planned to demand swift justice and government progress to control rampant homophobia.
We will report more with updates as we receive more information.
Updated report from IOL:
Solly Nkolonzi the brother of the victim is pleading for someone to come forward with information. “We don’t know why Phumeza was killed. She was not a naughty child. She was a lesbian, but she never did any wrong things.” Solly said his sister had returned home shortly after 8pm on Saturday. Her mother and six-year-old niece were watching television.
“My mother told us when the man shot her, Phumeza asked him what she had done, but he shot her again and then a third time. For someone to shoot someone in front of their own mother and six-year-old niece is ruthless. They are both shaken by the incident,” said Solly.
He said the gunman took his sister’s cellphone and left.
Free Gender chairwoman Funeka Soldaat said members of the group had known Phumeza casually after meeting her at the funeral of Nontsikelelo Tyatyeka, the lesbian whose body was found hidden in a wheelie bin at her neighbour’s home in Mau Mau last year.
Soldaat “We are concerned that it is becoming a norm for lesbians to be attacked in that area,” she said. “It is the same neighbourhood where Nontsikelelo was murdered because she was a lesbian. “It seems like some people in that community don’t want to tolerate lesbians. “It is scary to see young people being killed brutally because others are simply not comfortable with their sexual orientation.
MELANIE NATHAN
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why? not ok..this is horrible. people need to stop playing GOD. HE wouldnt do that.
This is really said that someone would kill another just becos they don’t like their sexually preferences,its cruel
What is even more sad is that being a lesbian is not really a preference but an “orientation” which means it is not a choice. That is why it is okay to be a lesbian. Because we are made that way just the same was as straight people are born that way . Whether lesbian, gay or straight we are all equally entitled to the sexual orientation we were born with. It is like murdering someone just because they were born left handed. What business is it of anyone who one loves? It is horrendous and inhumane to kill another being for any reason – but when you kill someone for who they are you are the crime is a hate crime and should have heavier consequences for the criminal.
Malena i am not here to judge(thats not my part) i dont get when ure saying its not a choice,sumhow it is because most of them are mothers and fathers from marriages so they were no born like that,killing of some 1 will never be gud doesnt matter whu is he/she.May her beautiful soul rest in peace.
IT IS scientifically proven not to be a choice. Many are mothers and father because they try and fight their sexuality and natural born instincts because society is not friendly to gays and lesbians. Many people try and cover up their sexuality that is why the marry. Many marry and have kids to please parents under social pressure. There is a lot of information on the internet and stories about this. Tell me who would choose to be hated ? who would choose a difficult life? Do straight people choose to be straight?
Hate to click the ‘Like’ button on this one because I don’t like what happened, but I do like that you have chosen to highlight it. I saw fleeting coverage of this on the MHz network but little beyond that. This is a true tragedy and this type of inhumanity, xenophobia, and hatred must stop!
We will never advance as a species until we can get to the place where we recognize that we are one people and that as my mother says “not a one of us has a heaven or hell to put someone in!”
As if all of this weren’t bad enough, this hate crime was obviously homophobic, and more broadly misogynistic. Thanks for writing this post. ~ Ayanna Nahmias
she didn’t choose to be a lesbian..lets learn to respect other people…