Members of the LGBTQI community have converged at the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s in KwaMashu in Durban.
They are attending the case of the man accused of killing Sphamandla Khoza.
Thando Mgenge turned himself over to the police last week after Khoza’s body was discovered in a ditch near his home.
He had been stabbed multiple times following an alcohol-induced attacked apparently over his sexuality.
Mgenge will be applying for bail today.
“We’re here to picket the court to deny him bail and as you can see that you’re still expecting more members to come in here and just to show some support and solidarity. We were however expecting leadership as well to come through and just be with us to show solidarity but as you can see there’s never leadership whenever we need them they’re nowhere to be found particularly on issues such as these ones,” says a member of The Gay And Lesbian Alliance of South Africa, Frank Gazu.
Gay And Lesbian Alliance Of South Africa (Glasa)are protesting outside the Ntuzuma Magistrates court ahead of the bail application of suspect Thando Mgenge, who turned himself over to police for the alleged murder of Sphamandla Khoza. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/rfwhYxrq0V
— Jayed-Leigh Paulse (@JayedLeigh) April 16, 2021
“We are not receiving any support whatsoever they only invite us to workshop meaningless work sucks as a man as a matter of fact that of fruitless and we see that as a waste of expenditure just for show and they’re only there for us when they need to show case that they are doing something for the community,” Gazu adds.
Gazu is calling for the compilation of an offenders’ list for those who are convicted of crimes against members of the LGBTQI community.
“We are on our own we’re taking matters into her own hands where uniting the honesty and organise collaboration; collaborative effort on how we can actually move forward as the queer community in this country. We need perpetrators that have been convicted by a court of law to be on that list down to be excluded from any future public service particularly in the civil service and in business with those businesses that are willing to come and support this proposal,” explains Gazu.
Jayed-Leigh Paulse reports from outside court:
