Lesbian, Gay Bisexual Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) Delmas community held its 1st Delmas Pride march to celebrate their sexuality and to raise an awareness to the broader community of their existence.
The march which took place on 27 March commenced at Botleng Sports centre and was taken across the location and ended at Jay’s Park in Botleng township for the celebrations. The Organisers of this event Constance Ouma Lintsa and Luthando Doubt Skhosana both from Botleng said that they do not represent any organisation in particular but rather they organised the march as individual citizens of Victor Khanye to send.
Lintsa said they took it upon themselves to organise the Delmas Pride to raise an a awareness that LGBTIQ people are also human, and that they are here to stay and nothing is going to change, which is the reason for the event.
“About three years ago we lost a friend who was gay and was killed in Witbank and nothing was done about it. Not so long ago we had to bury one who was also brutally killed and his car was found near the town council offices”, said Lintsa.
“Three to four weeks ago there was another case of two lesbian women who were hiking from some farms and were taken to another area, and they were beaten before they were killed for being lesbians. This the reason we started with the march across the location to say that we are here and as people we will never be the same and therefore we must be accepted for who we are”, she concluded.
This was the first event and the organisers promise to make it annually. Organisations supporting the event include the Delmas South African Police Services, the Nkangala District Traffic Department, the Executive from the Victor Khanye Local Municipality, Rainbow Family under Careworks, Affinity Insurance, DJs from Delmas who played for free at the event, Jay’s Park owner Tshepo Seagwe, SHE Unit Civil Movement, Epic from Daveyton, Sign Language Interpreter Lerato Mtshweni and Mancamane Enterprises.
Constable Desiree Masuku from SAPS encouraged the LGBTIQ community to report cases of violence targeted at them because of their gender and to further protect themselves from situations which have a potential to leave them vulnerable such as leaving taverns too late at night without being escorted. VKLM Chief Whip Sponono Mahlangu echoed a similar message and assured them that municipal council is there to support them regardless. A similar message was echoed by other guest speakers Thando Wonder Nhlapo from the Rainbow Family and Londiwe Mavimbela from Affinity Insurance.
