Mapaballo Borotho
- The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has urged South Africans to stop giving Ngizwe Mchunu a platform to spread hate against the LGBTQ community.
- This comes after his recent discriminatory remarks and viral video targeting LGBTQ individuals.
- The CGE condemned his statements as a grave human rights violation and an incitement to violence.
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has called on South Africans to stop giving Ngizwe Mchunu a public platform, both virtually and physically, where he continues to harass members of the LGBTQ community.
This follows discriminatory utterances made by Mchunu against the LGBTQ community over the past few weeks. In a viral video, Mchunu can be heard telling people belonging to the LGBTQ community to leave South Africa with their “nonsensical” behavior.
The Human Rights Commission has since ordered him to retract his homophobic statement.
CGE spokesperson Javu Baloyi condemned these remarks as a grave violation of human rights and an incitement of violence against a marginalised community.
“The violent nature of Mchunu’s statements and the incitement that occurred over the past weekend at the KwaMai-Mai establishment in Johannesburg are shocking and unacceptable. Words have consequences, and in this case, they have sown fear, division, and potential harm among an already vulnerable group,” said Baloyi.
Baloyi added that LGBTQ persons are already living their truth in fear and Mchunu’s remarks might have exacerbated that fear among others.
“Marginalised communities such as LGBTQIA+ persons are often discouraged from seeking critical services, including healthcare, economic opportunities, and legal recourse, when they live under constant threat of violence. Historically, South Africa has witnessed the devastating outcomes of hate speech and targeted violence, particularly against black township lesbians since the early 2000s. Such incidents remind us that harmful words can quickly escalate into acts of brutality.”
Baloyi further slammed online responses supporting Mchunu’s utterances, describing them as indicative of the patriarchal, sexist, and misogynistic underpinnings that persist in society.
“Hate speech and incitement of violence not only endanger the lives of queer people but also erode public trust in state institutions such as the police and the justice system. They undermine the very foundations of our constitutional democracy,” he added.
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