STOP the senseless killings of gays and lesbians!
That was the call on Wednesday from members of the Free State Rainbow Seeds LGBTI as they protested against the killing of Mmabatho James (32).
Mmabatho, a lesbian, was raped and stoned to death on Sunday.
Daily Sun published the story on Wednesday. That afternoon, a group of about 20 friends and activists visited Mmabatho’s family in Namibia, Mangaung, to pay their last respects.
They marched through the streets of the squatter camp, carrying placards demanding a stop to the killings. They observed a moment of silence at the place where the body was found.
Their spokeswoman Lonwabo Mlabatheki told Daily Sun: “We marched through the streets of Namibia to send a clear message to Mmabatho’s killers. We want the law to take its course.”
“Our sexuality doesn’t prevent us from playing a role in the community.
“What we do behind closed doors, and with whom, is our business.”
“I deserve to be respected and I have a right to live. We’re forever going to the funerals of gays and lesbians. These killings must stop.”
Mmabatho’s cousin Tsietsi Nomzinwa (39) said: “We’re happy to see lesbians visiting. I’ve never had a problem them.
“ I accepted my cousin the way she was. We hope the suspect will be arrested.”
Tsietsi said Mmabatho will be buried on Saturday next week.
He said they’d not lost hope that the perpetrator would be found.
Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said yesterday no one had been arrested. Police were waiting for postmortem results.
