By DASEN THATHIAH and ESTHER LEWIS
 |
| Women protest outside Durban's City Hall after a lesbian was raped and killed in KwaMashu. The protesters claimed the government was not protecting gay citizens. Picture: Mthobisi Mbanjwa |
The murder of a Durban woman has angered the gay and lesbian community, who are demanding government take hate crimes more seriously.
Nqobile Khumalo, 23, went missing on May 4 and her body was found in a shallow grave near her parents’ home in KwaMashu’s F-Section two days later, said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Mdunge.
A man has been arrested in connection with her murder and is in Westville Prison awaiting a bail application.
Khumalo’s funeral was held in KwaMashu on Saturday.
Police say they have no knowledge of Khumalo’s murder being linked to her being a lesbian. But Lexit - an organisation that defends the rights of lesbian and bisexual women - claims Khumalo was killed because of her sexual preference.
The organisation staged a protest outside the Durban City Hall yesterday, singing and waving placards, to show anger at the murder.
“This is part of a nationwide protest because many lesbians are being raped and killed yet nothing is being done,” said chairwoman Thobeka Khoza.
No comments:
Post a Comment