The Committee on Gender, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (GEYODI), within the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, welcomes the 18 year jail term sentence that was given to brutal murderers of Zoliswa Nkonyane, 19, in 2006 due to gender/ homophobic violence.
It comes with much appreciation to realise that South African Justice System, really arrived to a conclusive and evident action in conveying a message to ‘other’ would be perpetrators that people who are Lesbian, Gay, Transgender or Intersexed (LGBTI) are also humans who should constitutionally be accepted and not side-lined or discriminated against based on their sexual orientation.
“This step taken by our justice system in discouraging this malpractice on the abuse of gays and lesbians in our society through this current action is largely applauded and welcomed by the Committee”, added Ms Lindiwe Lasindwa, Chairperson of the Gender, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. “It is yet overwhelming that after six years with about 50 postponements on the matter, a tough sentence is given in order to send a message that violence based on sexual orientation will in no way be accepted in South Africa, also taking into cognisance this it was a second case (Eudi Simelane’s case in Springs-Kwa Tema) where such a sentence was given to people who are homophobic” concluded Ms Lindi Lasindwa.
The Committee began last year in June 2011, with an initiative focusing on Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Intersexed (LGBTI) in a form of a conference and will continue in the Gauteng province to host these conferences that recognise this group and educates the communities, on how to accept and deal with them without discrimination nor marginalisation. The Committee will further engage LGBTI societies, to participate in legislative processes on issues that affect them.
All LGBTI Organisations are hereby encouraged to come forward and report all cases. The Committee will always be available for interventions and assistance should they find no joy with such cases. In conclusion, the Committee pleads with the Department of Justice to speed up the process on all other outstanding cases related to this incident. Furthermore, the Committee will exercise its oversight role in the province to ensure that such cases are not overlooked nor delayed.
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The Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities welcomes the sentence given to the four murderers of Zoliswa Nkonyana, a lesbian who was stoned to death in Cape Town
Province
