O-blog-dee-o-blog-da

Melanie Nathan, May 15, 2011,

In the context of a predominantly homophobic Africa – a continent that tops weight in favor of criminalizing homosexuality, South Africa, has an awesome constitution.   One of the few globally that specifically asserts equality with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.  However it falls dramatically short in “walking the talk!” The South African activists are now learning to claim their Constitution for – hence Protests must increase, notwithstanding action on the part of the Government. The heat must turn to high!

After two years of advocacy and stepped up campaigns – drawing visibility to the issue of the corrective rape, oft resulting in murder, of lesbians in the Townships of South Africa, the ANC government and Department of Justice under Minister Jeff Radebe, heard the activists – most especially the voice of grassroots via the torch bearing Ndumie Fund of Luleki Sizwe.

Ndumie Funda and Mel Nathan Prepare for meeting with Minister of Justice
Photo: by Henry Bantjez Private Courts Inc.© 2011

In March of this year I had the great honor to work with Ndumie to present draft reforms and the idea of a commission to Mr. Tlali Tlali, of the DOJ in Cape Town’s Parliament. The meeting was a success – DOJ and NPA were going to provide a commission to work for reform.

The Government will help was the message and Ndumie and I stressed at that meeting the importance of rapid attention.  I remember saying in that meeting that as we were sitting there a young lesbian was being brutally raped somewhere in some Township in SA.

What followed before the second meeting was held,  a spate of horrific rapes and murders – showing that the crime is escalating in what activist Gareth Dallas has termed a ‘ravaging environment of escalating homophobia.”

While the Government is poised, after the second meeting, which took place this month, to gear up for the Task Group on Hate crimes,  I fear that other agendas of groups in the South African LGBT community and women’s  rights community, have crept into the picture, derogating from the purity – if you will- of the particular issue of so called “CORRECTIVE RAPE” AGAINST LESBIANS – as deserving of a task force of its own .

You may ask why?  Because it is such a particular crime of hate – not peculiar only to Townships and South Africa – yet endemic in that area – and hence earn must earn its own place and treatment.  There are reforms that we have asked for that are very particular to the issue of rape of lesbians and the motivations and they extend far and wide covering awareness, changing hearts and minds, cultural deflection, education, treatment of rape victims, witness protection, government assistance to victims and families, police sensitivity training, harsher penalties, severe bail restrictions – all of which was first drafted by me in a public and published letter to Minister Radebe over a year ago.

Now with the success of the Campaign against corrective rape – having come this far I implore the South African activist Community to take cognizance of NOT allowing the hijacking of the issue by groups and organizations which have already and will bring in other issues – which will only serve to sidetrack the reason we got this far in the first place.

SA Leathermen Turn out to Support Lesbian Sisters Holding Gay Flag of South Africa

The best way to help our lesbian sisters – (and to this end I must say a core group of Gay Men in Cape Town have come out swinging the bat to do so – providing support, love, protests such as the one featured here -personal money and transport to help get victims to protests and much more endearing friendship in cause – )  is to keep the focus on this first panel of the hate crimes tapestry – where after panels can be added and will be organically included via definitions and draft in the legislation that will result.

I am asking for all groups to back off from throwing too much into the mix at this early stage and focusing on what can be achieved and the rest will follow.  But when you add to much at the outset, you wrangle and you fight and you lose.

I am happy that this protest took place because it keeps feet to flame – and so be it.

PLEASE- DONATE MONEY TO LULEKI SIZWE

DONATE TO LULEKI SIZWE

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Protest Pictures: Thanks to Jaco Neiman Dallas and Gareth Dallas:

Core Group of SA GAY Men helping Lesbian Sisters

This week’s Protest outside SA Parliament, Cape Town.

Gay Brothers Support of Lesbians at Protest

Protest with Magnificent Table Mountain’s Approval

Protesting Corrective Rape / Photo: Gareth Dallas

Mel & Supporters of Lesbian Fight Against Corrective Rape at CT Pride
Private Courts Inc. Photo: Hettie Zantman

________________________________________________________________________________________________

By Melanie Nathan
[email protected]
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda