Lesbian soccer player Eudy Simelane has become South Africa’s Matthew Shepard. Her grisly murder last year, following torture and gang rape by several young men, has set off a tidal wave of outrage in South Africa. Simelane, who once played on South Africa’s national women’s team, has become the tragic icon for activists determined to end the anti-homosexual and anti-female violence that racks their nation. Hundreds of people demanding justice are organizing a mass demonstration outside the courtroom in Delmas, intending to send a message to the judge and jury, and to the country. The town is located in Mpumalanga province, which lies in the eastern part of Republic of South Africa.
The press release that follows, which was just sent out by South Africa’s Lesbian and Gay Equality Project, tells the story as well as I can:
PRESS RELEASE
TRIAL INTO MURDER OF LESBIAN SOCCER PLAYER SET FOR 11 – 13 FEB AT THE DELMAS COURT
Over five hundred activists from across the country will gather at the Delmas Circuit Court in Mpumalanga from 11 to 13 February 2009 to attend the trial that led to the murder Eudy Simelane, an open lesbian and rights activist.
Simelane, a former national Banyana Banyana soccer player, was tragically killed and her body discovered near a ditch in her Kwa-Thema home township on April 28 last year. Five men were initially arrested and one was released in October following over a dozen court hearings at the Springs Magistrate Court. Four men stand trial and will be asked to plead to the charges of robbery, murder and possibly rape.
Activists from a broad range of social structures, including the 777 Campaign to End Hate, the Treatment Action Campaign, the African National Congress from Kwa-Thema and Delmas, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) network – the Joint Working group – will be among the hundreds demonstrating outside the court and following the proceedings.
This case is only one of two cases in the country that has reached trial into a brutal murder of a black lesbian from a township, following the Zoliswa Nkonyana’s case that begin in December 2008 at the Khayelitsha Magistrate Court, despite over 30 known cases across South Africa that involve rape, assault and even murder of LGBTI people. Activists have been raising their voices against hate crimes targeting particularly black lesbians and calling for measures to recognize and stop this growing spate against yet another vulnerable group in society.
This case is expected to ensure justice for Simelane and all the other LGBTI people whose cases never reached the court rooms.
For further information you can contact: Phumi Mtetwa, Lesbian and Gay Equality Project, phumi10@hotmail.com
Busi Skosana, Family of Eudy Simelane, 073 888 1514
on Feb 10th, 2009 at 6:39 PM
How many straight children have been molested and murdered by homosexuals like you? A lot. How many Christians have been assaulted by homosexuals like you because you didn’t like the way they voted? A lot. How many Christian churches have been burned down by homosexuals like you because you disagree with the Holy Bible? A lot. Matthew Shepard is in eternal hell fire now and will never get out.
Whatever you think, you will not be able to change God’s Word and will one day have to pay the price for not believing what God has written.
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Romans 1:22-27
V22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, V23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
V24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
V25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever. Amen.
V26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
V27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.armyofgod.com
on Feb 10th, 2009 at 7:02 PM
OMG! Is this wacko for real???
on Feb 11th, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Donald (I don’t call you Reverend, because you don’t deserve it) — it is people like you who create the atmosphere in which the Eudy Simelanes of the world can be brutalized. You’re the one who should be down on your knees acknowledging your personal share of accountability for these atrocities.
on Feb 13th, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Rev. (sic) Spitz’s opinions on others should carry no weight whatsoever. He uses his own website to try to make heroes out of murdering terrorists like Paul Hill, Eric Rudolph, John Salvi, and James Kopp. He is so delusional that he thinks that he was ordained by the International Gospel Crusade, a denomination that only exists in his imagination.
on Feb 13th, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Wow! This dude Spitz is wacked. Problem is he probably has followers.
Donald a true Chrisitan wouldn’t be cruising a gay sports site to throw some insults around but might be a sympathetic ear and a careing and gentle person.
Geez the crazies found this site like they did the Towleroad and Advocate blogs. Hopefully this dude can be blocked if he becomes a pest.