The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) is concerned about a homophobic statement attributed to King Goodwill Zwelithini of the Zulu Monarchy that says “Gays are rotten”. This falls against the backdrop of hate crimes that are flaring up in our country due to other people not wanting to accept others, who have different sexual orientation contrary to theirs.
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered and intersexed people (LGBTI) are constantly being discriminated against, and at times killed, regardless of the fact that the Constitution affords them equal rights like everyone else in the country. We cannot continue to blindly hide behind culture whilst infringing the LGBTI community’s rights, which are enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution.
The Commission calls for the retracting of that unfortunate and improper statement by King Zwelithini. We will also be writing to him personally highlighting our discomfort at a leader in his position not promoting what is contained in the Constitution but who uses his cultural morality to entrench discrimination against the LGBTI community.
Enquiries:
Javu Baloyi
Cell: 083 579 3306
