O-blog-dee-o-blog-da

By Melanie Nathan, November 16, 2010

Ndumie Funda, the co-founder and director of Luleki Sizwe, the organization that helps survivors of corrective rape,  is one of the heroes in the ongoing story about the rape of Millicent Gaika, the brave lesbian warrior whose story we have been covering since her horrific ordeal earlier this year.

Ndumie has been a tireless advocate for the cause and has managed to effect world wide attention to the issue of the endemic rape in South Africa.

A few weeks ago I wrote about Millicent Gaika giving testimony against Andile Ngcoza- under conditions that only a bravest of warriors would endure, especially so for someone who had been so badly brutalized.  Ngcoza had been out on minimal bail and Gaika, who started to testify at his trial, was made to travel to Court via public transport, in effect the same transport being used by the accused.

Lesbians who supported Gaika by coming to the trial would also have the harsh reality of having to encounter this monster on the street; and no place was safe.

Ngcoza has some conditions to his bail and one such condition is that he does not enter the township of Gugulethu.  Since our article, activists from around the world have been pressuring the police (SAP) to provide protection for Gaika through this case and maybe the pressure worked – and it must continue. The SAP must be held accountable for the protection of all women in the Townships.

Today Melanie Nathan received this direct report from Lulekwi Sizwe’s Ndumie Funda and I am quoting in her own words; English being her second language.

“Today its one of the unforgettable day in my life it was round about 11am in the morning , I was walking with my partner in Gugulethu mall. My car was parked at the Camp Well Hardware so as we where near the car my partner noticed that someone was so looking at me with those you know angry eyes, he came closer so I pressed the mobilizer (gadget that enables car to star).

Andile Ngcoza came to me straight he was looking at me and he went to passenger’s side were my partner was sitting  also staring at her the after her he was looking at my car number plate; I then quickly called the police and the investigating officer.   They arrived immediately and he got arrested . We went drove to the Gugulethu police station where the investigating officer together with the police took our statement. It was said that he was not supposed to set his feet in Gugulethu so there he violated his bail conditions and he is now back in jail.  We are hopping that he’s gonna spend his Christmas there.

I know, really people,  that i’m not safe please everyone pray for me with my work that i’m doing its not easy. We need to put pressure to the justice system.

All Power to those who are fighting corrective rape”

www.stopcorrectiverape.org

www.lulekisizwe.org

Hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation are not recognised by South African law

in the last 10 years 31 lesbian women have been murdered because of their sexuality

more than 10 lesbians a week are raped or gang raped

in Cape Town alone

150 women are raped every day in South Africa

for every 25 men accused of rape in South Africa,

24 walk free

Melanie Nathan
[email protected]