Written by Talia Coetzee
In the first six months of 2021, at least 14 openly gay, lesbian and transgender people in South Africa have suffered violent attacks – all of them ultimately resulting in death. This disturbing trend indicates a symptom of South African society that has not been given the attention it deserves: hatred toward members of the LGBTQI+ community.
Bonang Gaelae, 12 February 2021
Nonhlanhla Kunene, 5 March 2021
Sphamandla Khoza, 29 March 2021
Nathaniel “Spokgoane” Mbele, 2 April 2021
Khulekani Gomazi, 3 April 2021
Andile ‘Lulu’ Nthuthela, 10 April 2021
Lonwabo Jack, 18 April 2021
Lucky Kleinboy Motshabi, 24 April 2021
Phelokazi Mqathana, weekend of 1 May 2021
Lindokuhle Mapu, 9 May 2021
Aubrey Boshoga, 29 May 2021
Masixole Level, 6 June 2021
Anele Bhengu, 13 June 2021
Lulama Mvandaba, June 2021
One may ask how it is possible to figure out whether all these people were truly murdered for simply being queer, but the evidence displaying the incredible brutality of these crimes is undeniable. Masixole Level was stabbed 16 times. Sphamandla Khoza’s body was found in a ditch after he was stabbed and had his throat slit, after a night of drinking with neighbours turned into him being humiliated and murdered for his sexuality. Khulekani Gomazi was beaten to death, her body also showed signs of being dragged by a car. It has been pointed out that perpetrators are not necessarily driven by hate, but rather fear.
It is impossible to analyse the rise in frequency of this particular form of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) without noting the impact the Covid-19 virus has had on our economy and society at large. Similarly we see an increase in xenophobic vitriol and attacks, as well as a rise in violence against women and children. We are faced with an ever present need to survive, now with the added stress of major job losses, budget cuts, corruption and continued austerity carried out by the ANC government. This indicates the continued failure of capitalism, which has been proven to not only enable, but also creates hostile living and working conditions for marginalised groups.
The fact that the victims mentioned are Black and mostly from working class backgrounds cannot be ignored. It’s no secret that people affected by poverty are more vulnerable to not only oppression but also violence, because of the conditions they find themselves in. As the state cuts funding, staff and wages in education, healthcare and other social services, it is the poor and working class who increasingly cannot access the necessary services and resources for mental and physical health needs, decent housing, and escaping potentially violent and life-threatening situations. While this does not excuse the actions committed by offenders, it does once again highlight the catastrophe that capitalism inevitably brings due to its inability to regulate wealth and resources.
Pride is a protest – the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in the USA gave way to the original worldwide Pride marches that were political protests for queer rights. Over time these marches became co-opted by the capitalist class, but we are once again seeing the young generation reclaim it for its radical origins while increasingly drawing conclusions that the capitalist system is part of the problem. As the month of Pride draws to a close it is important that we emphasize that for queer liberation to be achieved we need to not only stand together in an act of unity to combat violence and discrimination, but to also ceaselessly fight the system that helps preserve these imbalances.
WASP supports the struggle for LGBTQI+ rights, not just on paper but in real life, and urges the labour movement, struggling communities and organised youth to take up the struggle against queerphobia.
We Say:
- A true end to queer oppression cannot be achieved through a system that requires inequality to maintain itself. The struggle against queer oppression needs to be linked up to other struggles of the working class and oppressed, and channeled toward fighting for a socialist restructuring of society. An end to capitalism will not immediately erase centuries of transphobia and homophobia, but would strike quickly against the most notable inequalities and lay the basis for a society that could fully eradicate gender- and sexuality-based discrimination.
- All people, regardless of gender and sexual orientation, must fight together for gender equality in every sphere of society
- Equal pay for equal work – only the bosses gain from wage discrimination.
- Free, state-funded and high-quality education at all levels for everyone.
- Nationalise the healthcare system, no more two-tier healthcare apartheid. Every person, regardless of class, race, gender and sexual orientation must have free access to quality mental and physical healthcare services.
- Shelters and housing to give everyone the freedom to leave abusive relationships.
- Zero-tolerance against secondary victimisation of victims of gender-based violence by police and courts – cleanse the SAPS of perpetrators
- Training on gender-based violence for all law enforcement and court officers
- Unite communities, workers, youth to fight hate crimes against LGBTQI+ people
