Homophobic Violence: “It’s because their hearts are dead” – By Devan Moonsamy 

Lest we forget: Banyana Banyana star Eudy Simelane

It has been 10 years since our Banyana Banyana soccer star Eudy Simelane was found gang raped, robbed and murdered. She was stabbed over 25 times. It is unfathomable that such brutality could ever be justified.

The reason for this heinous crime? Eudy was lesbian. In the decade since, it feels like we are no closer to overcoming this terrible persecution. Violence and abuse the world over against people of differing sexualities and gender identities is a reality. Our hearts go out to Simelane’s family who no doubt still feel the weight of her loss at the age of 31. Mally Simelane, Eudy’s mother, has said that she has finally found a way to forgive her daughter’s murderers.

What strength and humanity Eudy’s mother shows in the face of such devastation. Still, hate crimes such as this are destroying South African lives. And, what is more, it means that others like Simelane continue to live in fear, continue to hide who they are, simply because of some people’s complete intolerance for what is really none of their business at all.

The neighbourhood in which Simelane lived, KwaThemba on the East Rand in Gauteng, is said to be largely LGBTQ-friendly. Simelane may have felt safe, her family may have had a measure of confidence that she was accepted. As a result, the attack came as a massive shock to the community.

A long time has passed since Simelane’s death, but we mustn’t forget her. We mustn’t forget her bravery in living life as who she was, her advocacy for LGBTQ people, and as a soccer player in a male-dominated sport.

There have been many more recent cases, but this case is notable in that Eudy’s murderers were the first in South Africa to be convicted of so-called “corrective” rape. However, this characterisation doesn’t seem to apply, and LGBTQ organisations are guarded about the term as well.

Correction implies an attempt at discipline. This was extreme homophobic violence and a hate crime through and through that showed complete disregard for human life and dignity. Many South Africans will agree that such crimes are an offense against all of us, not only against people who are gay.

One such person is Bongi, a middle-aged woman from Mpumalanga. I feel that Bongi’s reaction to the issues gives considerable insight into the views of most South Africans. Her feelings on the issue, as an older member of a township community, should be taken very seriously, especially by those who purport to speak and act for communities, even believing they have a right to take justice into the own hands by attacking and somehow “correcting” homosexual people.

“You are killing the thing you think you are protecting”

What sparked an intense discussion was that Bongi recently heard those terrible words: “She deserved it”. This was not in reference to Eudy in this case, but another lesbian woman who was raped for so-called “corrective” purposes. Bongi seems shattered as she talks about it, she tries not to cry, but she can’t help it. She says she does not know the woman who was raped, but this person’s reaction continues to echo cruelly in her mind.

While Bongi can’t speak for everyone, I think her views on rape, and on homosexuality, will ring true for many South Africans: “I know there are murderers and rapists anywhere. It’s a fact of life. But when I hear them say ‘She deserved it,’ in front of me then I feel anger, and my bones are like on fire. I know if I don’t get away I am going to spit on this man.

“I also feel scared. It makes me scared of men. I can get scared just seeing some guys coming this way.”

When Bongi was asked if she would feel the same if a straight woman were raped compared to a lesbian, she said, “It’s the same… I don’t agree with people being lesbian or gays, but that is my feeling. It’s not for me to be playing God and deciding who is punished. It is not for anyone to take hate, or even thinking it is justice, as their excuse to do such things.

“It doesn’t matter if she sleeps in the bed with a man or a woman. She is doing her life, I am doing mine. If Eudy or this girl who was raped recently was my daughter, I would still say I love her. I would still say ‘Come to the house and let me meet the woman you are with.’… God is not going to punish me for that. Murders will be punished and rapists and men who rape even small girls, they are going to be seriously punished.

“My awareness is heightened because I am a South African woman. I have to be prepared for a possibility. We tell each other, you must be strong now. Don’t wait until it happens to try make yourself strong. Even the 12-year-old girl must know she has to be very strong, she must know the township has dangers.

“We tell the girls to always watch the men, and make sure they are not alone with any man. Even her uncle or brother can be dangerous. You think you can trust him. But then his friends get him drunk or get evil in his head.

“If there is a man around the place, she must rather go to the neighbour’s house and wait for her mother to come home. If some guy is giving her mother or sister trouble, she must scream. She must scream loud. And she must use the locks, and keep the house locked.

“Don’t these guys know how they destroy people’s trust? They destroy men’s dignity in addition. They destroy our dignity. They make themselves devils. They identifying themselves as devils…

“If a person is gay, it can be wrong, but I don’t know any gay people causing hate and violence… If you are violent and raping people, how can you say you are fixing a problem? What are you doing to help the community? You are not helping us. You are destroying us. You are killing the thing you think you are protecting, because we are one group of people, one group that is God’s children. It’s not gays outside and the rest of us under God. We are one people.”

Bongi was asked, “Why do you think these men did it? Was it only because the women are lesbian?” She replied, “It’s because their hearts are dead. Lesbian and gay people are just their excuse to be devils, their excuse to act out this kind of evil in them.”

“I can’t find a home!” – Racism in the SA real estate industry and what the government is doing to help

 By Devan Moonsamy

Some of you may know how difficult it is to deal with real estate agents, and how hopeless one can feel when searching for a home to rent or buy. Sometimes it feels like unless you are standing in front of them with cash or an approved bond in hand you are almost invisible to them. It’s no exaggeration to say that some are sharks.

They don’t phone you back, they don’t reply to emails, they don’t seem interested in serving clients. That’s not to say all real estate agents are bad, some of very helpful. But there does seem to be an overall poor level of customer service. Perhaps because of the nature of the industry, it allows room for unethical practices.

Myself, colleagues and friends of mine have simply heart-breaking stories to tell about how dazed, hopeless and insulted we have felt trying to find a place to buy or rent. Very few real estate agents stay in contact and treat you like a human being.

A friend in Cape Town couldn’t help laughing when she read that a place 3km from the coast is, “A stone’s throw from the beach.” When questioned about this, the agent said that’s advertised for “the people from Joburg”. Apparently, Joburgers can’t tell the difference between 30m and 3 000m… One can’t believe the lies!

But there is more to this story, much more. It’s not just about lousy service and obscuring the truth. It really feels like there is racism adding to the problem. In fact, we know there is racism looking at the evidence.

For example, in Cape Town, one real estate agency advertises on its fliers that they are not racist. They explicitly state that they don’t discriminate on the basis of colour against people applying to buy in a new development. Why on earth should they feel the need to state this in their advertising?

People must be communicating bad experiences to them, experiences of being racially profiled and ignored for having a dark skin. Seeing the struggles of these folk, they explicitly advertise not to worry about this when dealing with them. On the one hand, it is a good selling point. How do real estate agents hope to make sales by ignoring over 80% of the population? On the other hand, it is a kindness of them, considering how much racism others seem to be getting away with.

It’s shocking, but not entirely unexpected when I place it in the context of my own recent experiences in trying to find a property. I have faced similar discrimination when travelling as a tourist, when shopping, and in the workplace. It may be easier for me personally to see when racism is happening because I compare it to how my white companions, especially my long-time white partner, are treated compared to me – sometimes when we are in the same room.

Various demographics almost always play a role. Young single men of all races have also related how difficult it is to find a place to rent. Why? It seems because they are male, and landlords and ladies prefer female tenants or couples. But preferably without children and pets of course.

Recently, someone gave an excellent review to a young gentleman looking for a new place. The previous landlady was very happy with him. But no matter how well she spoke about him, he kept getting turned away. If we add to this the requirement that tenants and buyers be white, it must narrow the market tremendously.

Ideally, the focus should be on who needs housing most. A decent home to live in shouldn’t be a luxury, and the property market should be needs driven. Still, many factors combine to make it difficult for the ordinary South African to secure a decent, affordable roof over their heads.

There is another inconsistency: most real estate agents are white. I didn’t deal with a single coloured, Indian or black agent in Cape Town while looking for a place. Having monitored the property market for the right place over more than two years, my employee from Cape Town also reports having dealt with just one non-white agent.

Real estate agencies have too firm a hold on property and the trends that affect it. Many people are being locked out of the market by excessive prices, the nightmare of dealing with agents, and discrimination. One factor that comes into play is that many previously whites-only areas are still largely dominated by white people. Integration takes time certainly. However, white agents have a firm hold on the property market in certain areas. They have the power to prevent non-whites from accessing housing in these neighbourhoods. All they have to do is ignore prospective non-white tenants and buyers. White agents may be overly protective of the white areas they live and work in.

It’s something which is very hard to prove of course, and it’s very hard to enforce non-discriminatory practices in an industry which is already so open to abuse.

A further question I have is why buyers can’t find private sellers and thus get around agents. There doesn’t seem to be any website or other forms of advertising for private buyers and sellers. Who is squashing this market and how are they doing so? There must be a way to remove the middle person and thus reduce costs in the housing market.

In conclusion, I would like to point out solutions to some of these problems. The government has announced the launch of its Megacities projects and various related programmes aimed specifically at helping the millions who are struggling to access housing and basic services.

What is encouraging is the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP). It is specifically aimed at first-time homebuyers who are stuck in “real estate limbo”. These are people who don’t meet the criteria for RDP housing, but who also can’t afford bond repayments. It provides this large but underserved group a chance at owning their own property.

I urge readers to find out more about the FLISP and Megacities projects to see if they meet the requirements. It looks to be a fantastic opportunity for many South Africans to finally break the chains around the real estate market.

South Africans With Albinism Keep Shining Despite Discrimination

By Devan Moonsamy – CEO the ICHAF Training Institute

Powerful messages are being sent about the reality of the condition, conscientising people, and making a real difference in fighting prejudices

People who have the condition albinism have a complete or partial absence of skin, hair and eye pigment. It is considered a disability because of how it affects the person’s health. In Africa, people with albinism are subject to very poor treatment including discrimination and worse in some cases.

There still exists a strong feeling among many today that lighter skin is better. This is very sad, and it’s somewhat surprising then that people with albinism are marginalised in African society. South Africans have been guilty of colour discrimination. We are no stranger to the problem. In the case of albinism among African people, they are often rejected, poorly treated in school and the community, and their families even fear for the person’s life.

Just this year, a sangoma was charged with the kidnap and murder of two children with albinism. Shockingly, their bodies were to be used for muthi. The sangoma has been labelled a fraud and not a real practitioner of traditional African medicine and healing. Sangomas have struggled with a bad reputation because of those who use unethical and criminal methods. Most sangomas don’t do such things though.

Government and sangomas themselves are trying to address these problems, maintain professionalism, and fight criminal elements. Awareness raising about the facts of albinism is critical, but there has been staunch opposition. It’s quite frightening to experience this first-hand, as I have in trying to address sangomas on the issue recently.

Many also still believe that people with albinism and their families are bad luck or bewitched. People with albinism and other disabilities are often kept hidden away because their families are afraid. This is a problem in communities where they are thus not able to leave home, even to attend school, and they are often neglected in other ways too.

Emalahleni community outraged by the murder of children with albinism

However, in the murder cases mentioned above, the community was infuriated. They protested outside the court, and they wanted to deal with the accused sangoma themselves. The crowd was so angry that they wanted him dead, and police had to use rubber bullets to disperse them. It seems that some communities have no tolerance for such crimes against children, regardless of the disability the victims had.

Discrimination can start from birth for an African person with albinism. It is vital that we urge duty bearers to address the problem as comprehensively as possible. Education initiatives are being conducted, but there is ongoing resistance. People are still convinced that albinism is not a medical condition needing to be managed, but that it somehow warrants discrimination and maltreatment. If they attend school, it can be a very traumatic experience for a child with albinism, and it is fraught with challenges, including that they cannot spend much time outside, and that they are taunted and ridiculed by other children.

Media partners with activists to fight prejudices

What is really great to see is that people with albinism are taking matters into their own hands and serving as activists to educate others and challenge prejudices. The African media has embraced people with albinism in recent years, especially in recognising their beauty. This may seem superficial, but the main site of contention in relation to many prejudices is the external. Certainly, the fashion world – where people with the condition are now sought after – can be shallow, but it is really making a difference in people’s views, even by the mere fact of drawing attention to them and thus valuing their appearance.

Modelling is a prestigious occupation which focusses heavily on one’s looks. Thando Hopa is a South African model with albinism who is making waves worldwide. She has modelled for skincare brand Vichy, and Audi no less to promote their vehicles. She first appeared in Marie Claire in 2012, then in Forbes Life Africa in 2013. She has had a busy career as a model. Last year she was featured on the cover of Marie Claire, and she is also in the 2018 Pirelli calendar.

While this is awesome, one wonders why it hasn’t happened sooner. The truth is that people with albinism and other disabilities have been so marginalised, even to the point where they fear leaving their home. Their families fear for their safety or are embarrassed. They may thus tend not to encourage the person to have a career, certainly not one in which they are exposed, such as in modelling. It seems that Thando Hopa has overcome these challenges, however, and family support is one of the factors in her success.

Thando isn’t just a pretty face; she’s a qualified lawyer. Modelling is her part-time occupation, which she is using to conscientising people about albinism. Seeing Thando on the cover of a major fashion magazine and in ads for Audi does make a big impression, especially on the youth. Fashion houses and magazines are the authors of many people’s views on all manner of topics.

Thando’s beauty shone from the inside out on the newsstands of thousands of shops visited by South Africans on a weekly basis. The power of this cannot be overemphasised. Even those who are prejudiced and who don’t read magazines, or hardly go online were confronted by the cover image. Marie Claire called this 2017 issue “The August Power Issue” with the tagline “Meet South Africa’s incredible future shapers”. Her being on Marie Claire – with her gorgeous blonde ‘fro, little black dress, and XL WAIF earrings – was not easily ignored when one passed the newsstand. She really stood out, and that sent a potent message to South Africans everywhere.

Thando isn’t the only model or professional with albinism shaking things up. South African Refilwe Modiselle is said to be the country’s first female runway model with albinism. Supermodel Shaun Ross from the US has appeared in two Beyoncé music videos.

Let’s keep spreading positive, truthful messages about albinism, be aware of their safety and how they are treated in schools and communities, and support artists and activists with the condition. We can overcome stigmas surrounding disabilities and integrate everyone into a happier, more united society. After all, disabilities need not keep us down; it’s how we react to them that matters.

Are All White South Africans Racist?

By Devan Moonsamy – CEO the ICHAF Training Institute

Something which comes up during my diversity training sessions, and frequently in discussions among people of colour is the perception that white people are invariably racist. Some believe that Afrikaans white people are worse than the English-speakers. It would seem that this perception is based on how black people are treated. Just a look, just one single look, is often all it takes to send a clear message about how one is perceived. Just one look can cause so much pain and be highly offensive. This is to say nothing of gestures, speech and other actions. Racism can go in different directions, but people of colour are indeed often on the receiving end (Mabuza, 2017).

However, I feel that perception and reality are not necessarily the same. It would be naïve to think that everything white people say and do in relation to others is racially motivated, but racism happens often enough for many South Africans to feel that way. So what is really happening in white culture? Whatever it is, at least some of it is offensive to people of colour. Are they all either outright or closeted racists? The answer is certainly no, and we will look at evidence for this.

What we can affirmatively say is that all white people, often from a young age, are exposed to racist and biased views from parents, schoolmates, friends, colleagues, etc. What they do with these opinions is up to them. Upbringing determines much of our behaviour, but when we come of age, we are able to make up our own minds about various issues. It has been pointed out that, for example, the rape of women and children is not something the victims can bring an end to. It is up to men, as a group and as individuals, to police and correct one another so that women and children begin to feel safe around men, and so that we reach a place where men no longer feel they have to jump through hoops to secure a date.

So too with white people, it is up to them to apply positive peer pressure on one another to refrain from and reject racist behaviour, speech and thoughts. It is up to white parents to choose to raise their children in a non-racist way and ensure they are socialised with other children in a healthy way. These aren’t the only means to overcome racism, but they could be the most effective. It seems strange, but there’s sometimes little we can do to end problems that affect us so much as rape culture and racism. The resultant feelings of powerlessness are so frustrating.

While not all whites are racist, all of them have a choice in this regard. Some expressed that choice in a national whites-only referendum, something people seem to have forgotten about. It is sometimes said that white youths are less racist, and they may be the most likely to correct others on the issue.

Nevertheless, in March 1992, ex-President FW de Klerk announced the results of the vote: 68.6% of whites voted in favour of reform. South African History Online (2015) explains, ‘Surprisingly, the majority of Afrikaans-speaking Whites gave their approval… The results of the referendum were hailed worldwide and signalled the end of Apartheid… President of Nigeria and chairman of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Ibrahim Babangita sent his congratulations on behalf of the people of Africa.’ This referendum is still comparatively one of the best voter turnouts we have ever had in South Africa.

Based on this evidence, we can certainly say that it is not only white youths of today who are glad Apartheid is over. Sometimes it is the quiet people among us, those who seem to make no waves or get involved in political circuses, whose views really should count the most, but they don’t get heard. Why are we so obsessed with the Andre Slades and Vicki Mombergs of this world? It’s true that what such people do is terrible, they are not role models for anyone, and we don’t excuse such racism. But does the sincere, older Afrikaans person – who treats everyone fairly, and who quietly cast their vote according to their conscience in 1992 – not count because they don’t make headlines? There are more of the latter and fewer of the former than we think.

Recently, South Africa’s Institute of Race Relations commissioned a study which found that ‘72% of South Africans reported no personal experience of racism in their daily lives’ (Mabuza, 2017). These results are better than many would assume. This improved situation is partly due to white people’s behaviour, their good behaviour.

Ferial Haffajee’s 2015 book entitled What if there were no whites in South Africa? delves into this topic in considerable detail and she offers a variety of views. One of the critical points she makes is that we all need to be willing to see the meaningful transformation that is happening in our country. There is documented proof of progress, as Haffajee discusses, but we tend to focus so much on the negatives. Racism grabs headlines more often than successful integration. Will the latter ever find its rightful place in the public consciousness?

As I am writing this article, across the country, people of all kinds are getting along; people are making friends and cooperating. Not always because they have something to gain, but because it’s the decent thing to do. When do we take time to contemplate this? Most South Africans, I firmly believe, want to get along and they want to end discrimination. What we must do to reach this goal is to find the courage to speak up when racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of prejudice rear their ugly heads. We must strive to correct ourselves and those in our peer groups who we can positively influence.

In conclusion, I will quote Haffajee (2015) who ties this issue in well with what is happening in our professional lives: ‘It is in workplaces where racial bumper cars play out and crash into wider society, bringing all their pains with them. It is here that impatient black aspiration meets dogged white self-protection, where our pain lies and where leadership does not lie.’

References

Haffajee F (2015) What if there were no whites in South Africa? Johannesburg: Pan MacMillan.

Mabuza E (2017) No racism in daily lives of seven in 10 South Africans, survey finds. Business Day, 7 February.

South African History Online (2015) President F.W. de Klerk announces Whites-only referendum results. From: http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/president-fw-de-klerk-announces-whites-only-referendum-results