A  Colourful Mix

By Nicole Hodnett






Amadou Kane-Sy (Artist) and Marouba Fall (Poet) – Senegal

When we think of inter-racial we automatically think of it as leftovers of the apartheid epidemic. In order for the people of society to be truly defined as democratic, we need to see each other as people, not colour.

According to the Urban Dictionary, inter-racial relates to marriage, relationships or dating between races. In the 2000 census, there were 1.6 million inter-racial marriages in America. This number has undoubtedly increased.

According to African History, The Prohibition of Mixed marriages act no 55 of 1949; forbid marriages between whites and other races. Between 1946 and the enactment of this law, only 75 mixed marriages had been recorded, compared with 28000 white marriages.

Esther Saunders, a 20 year old student from the University of Natal gave her thoughts on what inter-racial relationships mean to her.



University of Kwazulu Natal Student-Esther Saunders

“Inter-racial relationships definitely can be a beautiful thing provided that the 2 people don’t see each other for the colour they are, but as the person they love”, she said.



An artist of the Dialogue Project,Amadou Kane- sy ,describes that Human relation geography has been in existence for a very long time. This has happened naturally and in line with the initial natural design of a desired process of a better human evolution.



Break the Silence initiative gives artists and poets a unique opportunity to use their talents to advocate these significant messages to the community

Gabisile Nkosi,an artist based in KwaZulu Natal, believes an African proverb that says.

Amadou Kane-Sy (Artist)

‘If you want to hide something from a black man, write it in black and white”. To convey this message, Nkosi said,” It is better to do a colourful visual, rather than to use text”

This is a great representation of what the great Mandela have been fighting for more than a decade. If we truly see each other for the people we are and not the colours we are, the earth will be blessed and prosperous.

Links, tendencies and connections

By Nicole Hodnett

When we think of art we think of Picasso, the great Michael Angelo or the enchanting smile of Mona Lisa.



400 × 507 - Vincent van Gogh'sSelf-Portrait

According to an article written by Brian Rice, art causes people to look a little closer and to observe social issues occurring so frequently in today’s society, the freedom to express and assume freely through art.



When we observe the artists who produce the art, eccentricities are often evident within them. We remember the great Vincent van Gogh who lived a short, deeply tormented life. According to Shelly Essak, he executed a number of self-portraits and had a brief turbulent friendship and veered in and out of madness.

He shot himself on July 27^th, 1890, but didn’t die until 2 days later. He died selling one painting in his lifetime.

In today’s society artists express their thoughts on subjects that affect and infect mankind. Art for Humanity is a platform that gives artists and poets the freedom to break silences on what affects them.

She is a Dialogue artist and South African born. Kim Berman was born in Johannesburg in 1981.She completed her Bachelor of Fine arts at the University of Witwatersrand. She lectures at the Fine Arts Department at the University of Johannesburg and is the Director of The Artist Proof Studio in Newtown Johannesburg.



Artist -Kim Berrman

According to an article written by Helen South, television usually portrays artists sitting around in coffee shops having deep and meaningful conversations, swanning about interesting clothes at art galleries or having dramatic nervous breakdowns connected to drugs and alcohol. Most of the time they will be where they need to be and that’s in their studio making art.

According to Mad Science, European scientists are claiming that artistic tendencies may be linked to the same genetic mutation that causes schizophrenia and paranoia.

According to the constitution of South Africa we are all entitled to express our thoughts freely and fairly. In light of today’s society artists expressions of thought have become deeply controversial and often misconstrued.

When it comes to freedom of expression whether it was yesterday, today or tomorrow, an artist and the constitution will always be connected.

The crux of todays influence

By Nicole Hodnett

In today’s world everything we see, do or hear goes according to influence, generalisations or stereotype.

According to an article written by Julia.T Wood, of the many influences on how we view men and women, media are the most persuasive and one of the most powerful.

When we watch television or movies we see scantily clad ladies strutting around ,showing their bodies’ parts off to the world in tiny pieces of clothing .

Diane Victor "Weighing and Wanting"

Do men automatically view women as objects when its plastered on television  or is this just the way the world works?

It is unfortunate that a piece of clothing can lure a sexual predator or give wrong ideas to the opposite sex. We are the way we carry ourselves and even though it is not our fault, influence will continue the stubbornness to play fair in the lives of men or women.

A dialogue artist, Amadou Kan-sy explains the difference of colour complexion, and with different accent and tones of life and communication.

According to feminist issues in prostitution, radical feminism opposed prostitution on the grounds that it degrades women and furthers the power and politics of the male gender. Feminists seek to be supportive of sex workers while deploring the work itself as inherently wrong. They do not admit to taking an ethical position in contemporary moral terms. According to the Old Testament  the  women’s behaviour was limited in ancient times.

Clifford Zulu (Artist) and Sithandazile Dube (Poet) representing Zimbabwe in the Art for Humanity, “Dialogue Among Civilizations” Print Portfolio 2010.

According to Science Daily, past studies have shown that people perform poorly in situations when they being stereotyped .This was according to Associate Professor of Psychology, Michael Inzlicht who led the study.

Results show that prejudice and stereotyping have lingering adverse impacts.

According to association for Consumer research, a very large body of research on non-verbal communication has sprung up during the past twenty five years when it comes to clothing.

Another major focus of study on clothing treated it as an extension of the psychological state of its user.

According to an article written by Breezysands, women in the media are portrayed as having an ideal body type. As early as toddlerhood, girls are groomed to believe that they must achieve an unrealistic shape in order to look radiant.

Clothes being marketed today have such slogans on them such as "hot chick" or "flirty baby" that objectify little girls the same as beauty pageants.

This happens when girls as young as 3 years old wear makeup with wigs, false teeth, fake eyelashes and excessive amounts of makeup.

Can we really be okay with each other in this world or do we still see each other as alien that automatically have to judge one another and act on impulse when we see something that sticks out from normal human vision.

 The women for children project gives light to topics like these and gives poets the chance to express themselves through art and poetry on social issues that affect them and today’s society.

Artists for Humanity

By Nicole Hodnett

Marjorie Maleka "This is my story"

Etching & oil pastel 424 x 371mm

Marjorie Maleka "This is my story"

Etching & oil pastel 424 x 371mm

Abuse can be of a physical, emotional or verbal nature. It is intimidation on another individual, yearning for control and intrusion into another’s psyche. The Bill of rights states our human entitlement to equal protection.

According to Psychology today emotional abuse is anything that intentionally hurts the feelings of another person.

The 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children is an international campaign that takes place every year from November 25^th to December 10^th.This period also includes Universal Children’s day and World Aids day.

Art for Humanity Director,Jan Jordaan gave his view on the abuse of women.

"Women have the right to freely express themselves and a right to say no. If women do not speak out they will be treated like objects”, he said.

While many women across the world fight for better wages, women in Saudi Arabia can’t even take a paid job without the permission of a male guardian. According to Emaj magazine the norms of Saudi Arabia constitute the Kingdoms official laws and regulations. The laws are based on religious decrees .Religious police control every aspect of a women’s life in Saudi Arabia.

According to BBC News, a prominent Saudi television presenter made international headlines when she permitted to newspapers to print horrific images she had allegedly sustained from her husband back in 2004.

 Through an expression of art, the Women for Children project was created in light of any unspoken topic. Art for Humanity has provided platforms to Freedom of expression.

An expressed mind-set

By Nicole Hodnett

When we think of discrimination we think of a state of mind. This mind-set has the disposition of looking down on someone through race, gender, colour or religion.

According to the Economic times British MP, John Stuart Mill was the first person in Parliament to call for women’s rights to vote in 1869.

According to UN NEWS CENTRE, almost every country in the world still has laws that discriminate against women and promises to remedy this have not been kept.

Discrimination is never a mental state.it is solely conduct. A person must act on a decision before it can be found illegally discriminating.

During the years of the Apartheid struggle the fight for gender equality took a back seat .According to My Fundi the Constitution of today’s democracy outlaws discrimination in any form. South Africans are simultaneously tackling the deep seated legacies of racism and patriarchy.

According to African History, it has been 50 years since the federation of South African women organized a mass demonstration against the imposition of pass laws on women in South Africa

Art for Humanity has initiated the Women for Children project. Through an expression of art it brings light to an unspoken topic.

They are the mothers, daughters and sisters to our society. There will be follow up articles leading up to Women’s day. Stay Tuned!

A 94^TH Milestone

By Nicole Hodnett



Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

The opening words of the Freedom charter became widely known in South Africa’s political discourse. Nelson Mandela played a significant role in popularizing the Freedom charter that was adopted by the congress of the people in 1955.

His name means quick minded and sensitive nature. In Qunu in the Transkei, Nelson Rolihahla Mandela was born into royalty on July 18^th 1918.

According to Nobelprize.org his father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu tribe. Madiba was educated at the college of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942.

According to Tripod, Nelson Mandela wrote the attorneys admission examination and was admitted to the law profession. He opened a practice in Johannesburg, in partnership with his friend Oliver Tambo.

He joined African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling national party’s apartheid policies after 1948.He went on trial for treason in 1956.

In the early fifties Mandela played an important role in leading the resistance to the western areas and in the introduction of Bantu education.

During his prison years he served it in the notorious Robben Island prison, a maximum security prison on a small island 7km off the coast of Cape Town.



Dialogue Artist-Guto Nubrega 

During his years in prison he grew steadily and was widely accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa. He became a potential symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid government gathered strength.

A dialogue artist,Kim Berman expressed her thought through art when South Africa erupted in a wave of xenophobic violence in 2008.This period seemed to betray many of the fundamental values of community. This represents what it was like when race groups were segregated during apartheid

Art for Humanity provides platforms to express thoughts through art and poetry. Poets and artists from across the world come together to portray their specific thought on whats affecting and infecting our society. Mandela spent 67 years fighting for South Africans to express their thoughts in a free and fair fashion. Today is declared international Mandela day in honour of that all he has done.

According to an article written by Glenda Nevill,it is a day when the worlds media gather in the tiny village of Qunu not so much in expectation of seeing the global icon ,but seeing who has gone to see him.

 “The greatest gift our nation could possibly give Utata Nelson Mandela for his 94^th birthday this week would be to emulate his magnanimity and grace “said Desmond Tutu.

A dialogue artist, Guto Nubrega from Brazil describes the creative commitment on how to address such an important subject focused on human values.

According to Soweto live many intend dedicating 67 minutes to a worthy cause in honour of Mandela fighting for social justice for 67 years.

Dineo Phati, a journalism student from the Durban University of Technology gave her thoughts on what today represents for her.

“People place too much emphasis on only doing good things on this day when good should be done every day”, she said.

South Africa marked the year 1994 as the year of Freedom and marks the same time Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa .Today he turns 94.

Thousands of well-wishers expressed their gratitude towards Madiba on his birthday via Facebook.

"We ,the people of South Africa,declare for all our country and the world to know:that South Africa belongs to all who live in it black and white,and that no government can justify or claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people"

In honour of Madiba day we are all called as a country to do charity work and spread the goodness that He so selflessly gave to South Africa.  Happy Birthday Madiba!!

A race in its own class

By NICOLE HODNETT

According to the Bill of rights we all have the right to equal protection. Art for Humanity expresses topics through art and poetry affecting our society today.

When people use the word “race “they attain a biological meaning to it.Others use “race “as a socially constructed concept. Race has a social meaning that has been legally constructed.

According to Anti-Defamation league it is the belief that the word “racism “happens when a particular race is superior or inferior to another. A person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics.

In the 1950s, the group areas act was passed by the government of South Africa which allowed for the designation of municipal grounds for specific race groups. According to Topix, several laws were passed after that making the country racially segregated on a physical basis.

Biljana Jankovic (Artist) and Cedomir Sagric (Poet) – Serbia & Montenegro of the Dialogue among civilizations portfolio is a perfect representation of the apartheid struggles South Africa went through. It is a representation of what the stigma of racism once was and still is today. Focused on the mere surfaces that make boundaries between space areas which is also a perfect representation of the Group areas act.

According to Race and Class, racism arose from slavery which was integral to the growth of capitalism through imperialism to justify the inhumanities of slavery to an age that once was.

According to Apartheid laws, Pass laws were a huge part of the development of South Africa. They aimed to put regulations and more control on where all Africans would go. Children that had played together all of their lives had to go their separate ways due to their skin color.

Biljana Jankovic (Artist) and Cedomir Sagric (Poet) representing Serbia and Montenegro in the Art For Humanity “Dialogue Among Civilizations” Print Portfolio 2010.

People of all races had to carry identity documents that had to be produced within 7 days of being demanded by an officer. Parliament claimed that more arrests were being made in 1982 due to passbook violations.

Even after a decade South Africa is still affected by the stigma of racism. We still refer to each other as black, white, Indian or colored

Nowadays racism is existent amongst the different genres of class in our society.

Director of Art for Humanity,Jan Jordaan feels racism to be very small pockets of extremism.

“It all boils down to discrimination”, he said.

Will we ever see each other as a true rainbow nation? It all starts with one mindset that can change the world and that mindset was Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

An Artists Cartoon

By Nicole Hodnett

Art is a term that describes a diverse range of human activities and the products of those activities.Art for Humanity expresses thought through art and poetry via the Dialogue Project.

A cartoon (from Italian “cartone”and dutch word”karton”meaning strong,heavy paper or pasteboard.

According to Media Manipulation, every politician, event and situation has been catapulted into the public sphere through a cartoonist’s eye. The juxtaposition of satire, humour and hard hitting facts give the reader an alternative view of the state of affairs.

According to Mail and Guardian online, Johnathan Shapiro has been South Africa’s foremost cartoonist on all things President Jacob Zuma.

Poet of the Dialogue project-Jan Beake

In his latest work on July 6^th, the country into a frenzy over his depiction of the president as an erect penis with a showerhead on his head, standing in front of the Goodman gallery.

According to the Bill of Rights everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.

Poet of the Dialogue among organisations Project,Jan Beake feels a fascination by the way hope and expectations ,illusions and disillusions interfere in a person’s attempt to grasp reality. He describes reality as “hard to grasp”.

Cartoonist-Johnathan Shapiro

According to the Bill of rights everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected

Director of Art for Humanity Jan Jordaan disagrees with the latest portrayal of cartoons.

“I would call it abuse of human rights, resulting in hate speech against an individual ‘he said.

Art historian E.H Gombrich stated, “Such is the power of a cartoon. At its highest, the cartoon solidifies the elusive flux of events into manageable or memorable myth”

2012 Art and Social Justice Conference: 7- 8 October 2012!

It is time again for the world known Art and Social Justice Conference.  Below is the invitation from  Gernika Peace Museum, Gernika Gogoratuz Peace Research Center and the Culture House of Gernika, the main organisers of the conference this year. 

3rd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ART AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Arts, Crisis and Social Transformation

Gernika-Lumo (Basque Country, SPAIN)

7-8 October 2012

We are proud to announce the III Art & Social Justice Conference which will be from 7th-8th October at The Gernika Peace Museum in Spain. This 3th conference has been organized by the Gernika Peace Museum, Gernika Gogoratuz Peace Research Center and the Culture House of Gernika. The theme of this year’s conference is Arts, Crisis & Social Transformation  and the symbolic choice of Gernika --this year of commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the bombing and of the creation of the masterpiece “Guernica” by Picasso-- as a location is important in the context of this theme.

The current crisis in western societies, largely a result of the greed of the banking system and different forms of political corruption and mismanagement is attacking many basic aspects of our lives.  It is a basic human right to have a job, have a home, have food, access to education, healthcare, and to be able to engage freely in making, creating and sharing artistic works. However in many parts of the world, the crisis is and has been permanent and any discussion on the role of the arts in societies in crisis has to embrace these realities too.
This situation leads to questions about governance, change, morality, freedom, justice, individual rights, sustainability and society.These issues are not only central to Human Rights as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but recurring themes central to the arts in general. In a time of crisis art manifests itself in different forms through critical thinking and a heightened sense of challenging injustice, hypocrisy and inequalities. Artists play a key role in transforming people, societies, and cultures simply by reflecting on what is going on around them. Our choice of location this year, Gernika-Lumo, Spain is very symbolic and important to the notion of arts and transformation in a time of crisis as the town is a significant global landmark for the arts and peace movement.

The Art & Social Justice Conference has been held in  Durban, South Africa at Durban University of Technology (2010) and Nicosia, Cyprus at The University of Nicosia (2011). This year’s conference is important for its choice of a historical location, Gernika-Lumo, Spain where we will discuss and reflect on Arts, Crisis & Social Transformation  through an innovative  multi-dimensional approach:
1. Presentation of specific papers
2. Workshops by arts practitioners
3. Circle discussions at the end of each day
4. Performance and display of artistic work

Contributions pertaining to  Arts, Crisis and Social Transformation are welcome -  see information below on submitting abstracts for a paper, workshop, or performance.
Organised by
Gernika Peace Museum Foundation, Gernika Gogoratuz Peace Research Center, Culture House of Gernika.
With collaboration from:
Art and Social Justice Durban Conference 2010, Jan Jordaan, Art for Humanity & Durban University of Technology & Mike Hajimichael, Art  and Social Justice Nicosia Conference 2011 & University of Nicosia, Department of Communications
Sponsored by
Euskadi Fundación 2012 Fundazioa. The Year of Culture, Peace And Liberty.   Human Rights Direction. Basque Government;

Registration for the Conference, fees and information
Early Bird - reduced conference fee before the 31st  August 2012 €150
Conference fee after the 31st August 2012 €200
The fee includes
- Conference Program
- Lunch and dinner 7th  and 8th October
- Free entry to all artistic performances held during the conference
- Excursions (Winery, coast, Gernika-Lumo’s Museums)
- Simultaneous translation (Spanish-English)
- Free registration for our other conferences:
V. INTERNATIONAL ART AND PEACE MEETING: Kids’  Guernica. An International Art Project for Peace, in Gernika-Lumo, 6th “October 2012.
“I INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ART, MEMORY AND DEMOCRACY; From Picasso´s Guernica to the present day”  in Gernika and Bilbao, 9TH-11TH October 2012.
Paper, Workshop, Performance Requirements
Papers  presented at the Conference  should focus on the theme of the conference: “Arts, crisis and social transformation”.
Please submit by 3rd  August 2012, the proposal should contain the following information:

- Title of the paper
- Abstract (300 words maximum)
- Keywords
- Language: Spanish and/or English
- Biography (150 words) including phone and e-mail contact

Suggestions for workshops & performances are welcome from participants. Workshops should include a 300 word description concerning relevance to the conference.
Performances will be hosted at the conference including poetry, readings, and music. Please supply any links online of works to be presented and a 300 word description.

For more information please contact:
Iratxe Momoitio (Director) zuzendaritza.museoa@gernika-lumo.net
Gernika Peace Museum
Tel (+34)946270213
María Oianguren (Director) mariaoianguren@gernikagogoratuz.org
Gernika Gogoratuz. Peace Research Center
Further details available on our main conference web site:
http://www.museodelapaz.org/en/conferences.php
http://www.gernikagogoratuz.org
We look forward to welcoming you to  ASJ III  Gernika 2012

Organised by:

Sponsored by: 

In collaboration with:

Dear AFH Friends and Associates.

AFH sends warm greetings and hopes that you are having a pleasant year thus far.  Please receive our newsletter for the month of July. All comments and letters are welcome.

 Art for Humanity: what is art?

 AFH defines art as that which is created to inspire all of humanity with freedom of expression, the quest for excellence, pride, dignity, and respect for individual rights, reflection and heritage.

In this month’s issue:

TOP NEWS

Dialogue Among Civilisations Exhibited at Sandton Gallery

Dialogue Among Civilizations                                                      

Johannesburg loves DAC                                                                  

Artwork  by Amodou Kane-Sy and Poem by Marouba Fall                                                                   

Women for Children                                                                                       

Youth Day 2012                                                                                            

           

Art and Social Justice Workshops                                      

2012 ASJ School Workshops                                                                        

WATCH the Video!                                                                                       

Break the Silence                                                                                           

A Dialogue of Sadness-Rape Article                                                             

General News                                                                                                             

A Burundian Nomad-Article on World Refugee Day                                       

Cedric Nunn Call                   

Click HERE to view our June/July 2012 Newsletter

Warm Regards,

Thireshni Sanasy & Nicole Hodnett

AFH Media Team

Art for Humanity

(Formerly Artists for Human Rights)

C/o Fine Art

Durban University of Technology

City Campus

Art for Humanity School Workshop-Morningside Primary

By Nicole Hodnett

Banner of Dialogue Project

Learners described their artwork and poetry as imaginative, believing and different. Learners from age 12 went beyond their imagination when it came to relaying their thoughts on the world.

Art for Humanity held an art workshop at Morningside primary on June 14^th 2012.Learners expressed their feelings about the world through artwork and poetry.

Tashen Naidoo.13 years old, expressed his thoughts on the importance of freedom. He described the workshop as brilliant at having helped learners to “express themselves”.

Learners at Morningside Primary

“It allowed me to view the finer detail in artwork”, he said.

An art piece titled “Faces ‘by 13 year old, Dieter Ulrich Kiezer, described people as different.

Lusanda Mkwanazi, 14 years old, described her artwork as choices she makes towards her future.“This workshop was a good idea as it is showing children art and what it means”, she said.

South Africa is rated one of the most beautiful countries in the world, famous for its wildlife.  Dharshani Naidoo did art work on nature and its creatures. He described the peaceful scenery and the beauty of our nation’s creatures.

Mrs Brinda Naidoo, an art teacher to the grade 7 learners felt great positivity towards the art workshop and felt it made a positive effect on the learners.

“I was very impressed with the banner /poem. I more than welcome any form of inspiration that our learners can get”, she said.

Below is the video of the Art and Social Justice workshop that took place at Morningside Primary.

Misconstrued Bill of Rights

By Nicole Hodnett

Art for Humanity researches projects that advocate various human rights issues in South Africa. Artists and poets from all over the world use their expression through artwork and poetry on issues affecting the world today.

‘Lenin Lived, Lenin is Alive, Lenin Will Live by Victoria Ivanov’

As a South African country, freedom of expression is our entitlement. If under certain circumstances a human right can be overturned by the government if that right infringes on another person or group of people.

In recent events the minister of arts and culture stormed out of an artistic conference in Johannesburg as she termed it pornographic. The conference was an exhibition on black lesbian couples.

It happened recently where a provocative painting of our South African president Jacob Zuma was on display that pierced the wrong side of the ANC. Reactions sparked and two men wielding cans of red and black paint walked into Johannesburg’s Goodman gallery and daubed an x over the president’s private parts before smearing it with paint over his face.

According to Sunday times columnist and Anc acolyte Pinky Khoabane, suggested on twitter that ‘the spear ‘constitutes plagiarism. The inspiration to Brett Murrays painting comes from another piece of artwork called ‘Lenin Lived, Lenin is Alive, Lenin Will Live by Victoria Ivanov’.

According to artbussiness.com creating paintings from photographs may or may not violate copyright laws. If you are completing an article that does not violate copyright laws and that’s by taking general information of that certain topic and pictures included.

Drama erupted after Zuma painting was defaced

According to patent express, if a court finds somebody has infringed upon your patent, the infringer may be required to pay a reasonable royalty for their use of your invention. In addition the infringer may also have to pay damages.

We all have the right to freedom of the press and other media. Are the rights to express ourselves as a democratic country being forgotten, tainted or simply disregarded? Everyone is equal before the law and has a right to equal protection.

Director of Art for Humanity, Jan Jordaan felt that the government of South Africa  refuses to popularise ‘The bill of rights’ enough and therefore gives people no right to misconstrue it.

‘In a recent Anc conference in Midland hardly any explicit support was shown in reference to human rights’, he said.

A Freedom by Law

By Nicole Hodnett


Guto Nubrega (Artist) and Sergio Rivero (Poet) representing Brazil, South America in the Art for Humanity, “Dialogue Among Civilizations” Print Portfolio 2010.

According to section 9 of the constitution, South Africa prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Woman for Children, an initiative by Art for Humanity is an artistic form of expression to any controversial issue. It is to bring light to an unspoken topic that has been the source of critical debate.

In light of critical debates, South African artist accused the Minister of Art and Culture, Lulu Xingwana of being homophobic. According to an article written by Melanie Norton, the minister stormed out in disgust over what she termed as a “pornographic art exhibition” featuring black lesbian couples.

In recent reports by News24, the brutal murder of a 23 year old openly gay man in the Northern Cape could be connected to other attacks on members of the gay and lesbian communities in the province.

The victimisation of gays and lesbians upon their sexual orientation includes harassment, vandalism, robbery, assault and murder. According to the National Centre for Victims of crime, the locations of these crimes are not restricted to dark streets or leading from gay establishments, but occur everywhere. These include school, the work place, public places and in the home.

According to the City Press, National House which appealed to Traditional healers, which has appealed to Parliament to debate removing a clause from the Constitution that protects people on the grounds of sexual orientation.

According to the Bill of rights, everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection before the law. This includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms.

For more on gay and lesbian rights, email africa@iglhrc.org .