The winner of the 2014 Miss Gay Jozi is the 19 year old Miss Tee Menu from Daveyton.

Photos by Smanga Shange

Related article

2014 May 18 :  Glitter, drama & perfection at Miss Gay Jozi 2014

by Tsepo Kgatlhane

Last week was rough, NO! The past couple of weeks were rather hectic.  So much has been happening in my life. It feels as if I have lived a year in less than 4 months. I am trying really hard to remember everything I do and the emotions I go through on daily basis, hence I have decided to start keeping a
journal and share with you, what I go through weekly, in my pursuit of being the change I want to see in the world.

“I work very hard and I want young men and women to know you have to work very hard”- Maya Angelou

“They are all my children”
-Maya Angelou

When asked, I describe myself in four words: I am an educator. I work from Monday to Friday. I wake up at 6am to be at school at 7:15am to start teaching Life Orientation to grades 11 and 12; English FAL to grades 9 for 8 periods every day till 2:30 pm.  During breaks I also run various projects such as the Youth Citizen Project (YCAP) with grade 10 and 11 students focused on various campaigns to address the social and environmental issues in our school community.

I love my students and they love me too because I continuously motivate them to dream and have a vision and show them the critical role, education can play in their lives. I lead by example and excellence; I always make sure they see me work hard.

 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
-Philippians 4:13
I was recently nominated in the Volksblad, Anglo American, Northern Cape Citizen of the Year competition for all the philanthropic work that I do in my community.  ‘What an honor!’ is what I said to myself when I went for the interview round this past Friday in Kimberley. I hope it all goes well.  If you have ever been to the Northern Cape you would know how big this province is. I am one of 6 people to have been nominated in this category. I haven’t really expressed how happy I am, I have just used the
expression ‘I am humbled by the nomination’ over and over.

I do not want it to get to my head; I am truly humbled by it. I am trying. The Gala award ceremony was held on the 28 May in Kathu, approximately 45 kilometers away from Kuruman.
What will I wear and who will I take with me?
I have so many people who claim to be my friends just because they know me.

Wednesday, 28 May

I have been invited to address The Kuruman Women Agricultural Association (KWAA).
Not sure what it is but at least I got a brief about what they want me talk about, my Afrikaans show on Kurara FM. I cannot wait, it has been a long dream of mine to expand my brand and grow in the Afrikaans community. How am I going to do all this on Wednesday? Have to be productive at school, deliver a speech at the KWAA, get an outfit and be on time for the Gala event.

“If a human being dares to dream a great dream, dares to love somebody, dares to be Martin King, or Mahatma Gandhi, or Mother Teresa, or Malcolm X. If a human being dares to be bigger than the condition in which she or he was born, it means so can you” – Maya Angelou

Finally decided to call Thato Tfee Kaebis, spoke to him a few weeks ago and told him on night out that I need someone who can help me with my various projects and just be there like an assistant. So he came on Monday and he is going to be shadowing me for the next few weeks. I introduce him as my assistant but he is more than that to me. Thato reminds me a lot of my friend Gift, he is very talented.
He is only 23 and I remember where I was at age 23, gay and confused.

I was uncertain of what I was supposed to do with my life and whether teaching was the right career for me. My assistant, as I refer to him when I introduce him to people, came at the right time!

Today I was reminded that I need to submit my Grade 11 and 12 master files and learner portfolios for district and provincial moderation in less than 2 days, about 200 learner portfolios. How am I going to survive?

“I was here” – Beyonce

School has become a place that I do not like. I feel like I am always on defense, making my voice heard. Everyone has congratulated me on my nomination but I could not help but notice that the people whom I spend most of my time with did not say anything. I do not know what to make of it.  Is it jealousy, envy or hatred? Don’t know all I know is that I can stand people who do not like me because of my sexuality because that is largely due to ignorance but people who cannot even congratulate you when it is deserved are another story.

Haai Ke! Lucky enough for me, my mom warned me about such people who never give credit where credit is due. Today I was forced to say something in the information session and inform the staff that one of my students would be accompanying me to The Northern Cape citizen Gala dinner where the announcement will be made.  Only then was I congratulated.

“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls” – Martin Luther King JR.

School came out at 2pm today and luckily I managed to get a lift to the venue where I was to deliver my speech. I couldn’t bear the thought of taking a taxi to town, hike to the venue and get there late. I hate being late and it is something that I am working on.

The Kuruman Women Agricultural Association is a women’s organization which offers its members personal growth which offers opportunities for personal advancement and community service. So after reading that on the program which was handed to me as I entered the hall I realized why I was invited to be the first speaker for the day and have to address middle aged and old women who made me feel welcome despite my skin colour. They were very interested in what I had to say and as to why I had been invited to address them.

“Goeie Middag dames en meneer, Ek voel baie geeerd om vanmiddag saam met julle hier te kan wees. Baie dankie vir die uitnodiging.”
They didn’t expect this. I spoke to them about my radio show which is on Saturdays and how I felt in 2012 when I was one of the first two presenters to have gone live on air. What an experience! One lady who gave me a lift back in to town  remarked that today’s KWAA gathering was very refreshing not sure what she meant guess she enjoyed having me there. I made a lot of contacts on the day and saw my former Librarian, Me Erasmus. She is old now and could not remember me but it was nice seeing her after all these years. It was a nice experience and wish I could have stayed longer but needed to get an outfit for the Gala dinner which was took place 3 hours later.

“There is no failure except in no longer trying”- Elbert Hubbard.

I got a very nice white shirt with black detail that I decided to wear with my white and black blazer and black chino pants. Outfit sorted. So now I needed to check on all the people I invited to confirm as to where we would meet and what time we would be departing. I invited my mom, aunt, her husband and younger brother. I also invited one of my students to come and bear testimony to what I always tell them and show them.  Nthabiseng, my friend who always travels with me, also accompanied me and I had to organize alternative transport at the last minute and invite 3 additional guests at the last minute one of them being a friend of mine.

I arrived about 15 minutes late – remember I hate it and I am working on it – to what was a beautiful event. If ever I wanted to feel appreciated Volksblad showed me how much they appreciated all I do. Got to meet some of the 6 nominees in my category and got to hear what they had done in their communities.  I am inspired not only by their stories but by Nianel singing too. I have always loved her.

Being nominated in the Northern Cape Citizen of the year competition and having my family and friends who have supported me in all my endeavors their really meant a lot to me .Words cannot adequately describe just how much. Unfortunately I wasn’t selected Northern Cape Citizen of the year for 2013 .The award went to a man who rescued a dog from the Big hole last year and who has dedicated his life to helping people. He forms part of the SAPS.

His beautiful wife whom I had the privilege of speaking to accepted the award on his behalf. He was a worthy winner as this was his second time having being nominated.
I feel honored to have been nominated alongside such a great man who has inspired me to keep on trying to be the change…

Previous by Tsepo

2014 May 17: Unforgettable IDAHO speech

Media Release:

Johannesburg, South Africa, which is the World African City is about to host the biggest Pride festival in Africa after Jo’Burg Pride.

11 June 2014 was the day Founder of the newly born Pride Festival MZANSI PRIDE, Cino Shearer announced that the second largest city in South Africa, Johannesburg will be the host of this new pride festival that will see thousands of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Straight (LGBTIS) communities from all over Africa come together to embrace their inner pride.

“To me the route paraded by the participants has a deeply spiritual connotation it symbolizes the difficult route gay people have travelled in their lives respectively” – said Cino Shearer

The newly born idea that will see majority of LGBTI organizations in Africa unite in making the MZANSI PRIDE vision work will come together to make this event a success was founded by Mr. Cino Shearer who is an international South African philanthropist, publicist guru and one of the 130 most influential people on the African Continent.

The romantic City of Jo’Burg will see a number of LGBTI individuals from all walks of lives participating in a long week of edutainment festivities from workshops, fashion show, movie screenings, book clubs etc, amongst other activities. Related Pride Activities will happen in variety of LGBTI & other safe venues throughout the city. The pride will also focus on giving the transgender people a chance to express themselves with different activities and host educational workshop for visibility within the LGBTI community and the communities they live in.

“The entire nation should join in together to share in the diverse people whom make up our country. 2014 Mzansi pride will be dedicated to our brothers and sisters in UGANDA who are unable to express the love that comes so naturally to them from one to another .We wish to highlight that gay people in some parts of the world still suffer Discrimination and Hate Crimes all due to a patriarch system” Added Cino Shearer

CS Media House will be the organizers and owners of Mzansi Pride and is associated with the Cino Shearer Foundation that’s a non profit organization that specializes in Education and Skills Development nationally.

The Cino Shearer Foundation has established to Anti Drug centres in two provinces, this year alone it has funded bursaries worth 2 million to students in universities Nationwide, the foundation has also done a National savings campaign in partnership with Nedbank where the foundation helps school students to safe got their future studies in doing so these kids 4000 nationwide take lead of their own destiny.

Anyone who would like to have suggestions and work together with the Pride committee is invited to come through. Full Pride details will be announced at the website and media launch soon.

Being different in society ends to be celebrated and not frowned upon – Cino Shearer.

Should you need to interview Cino Shearer or for questions related to Mzansi Pride feel free to contact me.

Prepared by Yaya Mavundla on behalf of Cino Shearer

SILVERTAG Communications 

by Abdi Osman

Labeeb is an intimate portrait of Sumaya, a Somali trans-woman.
The project consists of large-scale colour photographs, and a double-projection video. Some of the photographs are studio portraits where Sumaya sat for the artist; others depict Sumaya in her daily life. One video also documents aspects of her daily life, while the other portrays Sumaya performing a Somali ritual usually reserved for women. This practice is one that Somali women undertake when preparing for a special occasion or ceremony. The practice itself is a hybrid: traditional and religious. The double projection is meant to add texture and complexity to Osman’s attempt to engage with questions of gender, sexuality, and culture. The videos speak to the hybrid cultural expressions of Sumaya and other persons like her.
These images place African-born trans-people directly within the traditions of their African/black cultural heritage.

While posing questions concerning gender, culture, and religion, the videos examine how the body can move into new states of being. They are themselves “trans-ing” practices, crossing the traditional with the new all-in-one body. This work pushes back against claims made by some African leaders that there are no African queers in their countries.

Osman’s work puts African/black trans-people on record. It questions how we understand the various roles bodies play or perform, and which bodies or genders are understood to perform them—in particular, assumptions we make about female, black, queer, and trans bodies.

About the photographer, Abdi

Abdi Osman is a Somali-Canadian multidisplinary artist whose work focuses on questions of black masculinity as it intersects with Muslim and queer identities.

Osman’s video and photography work has been shown in Canada and internationally in both group and solo exhibitions. He holds an MFA in Documentary Media from Ryerson University, and B.A. in African Studies from the University of Toronto.

Previous work has been supported by a grant from the Ontario Arts Council. His photographs are also in private collections and the Art Bank of the Canada Council for the Arts. Some of his work was in the year-long group show DiaporaArt: Strategy and Seduction by Canadian Artists from Culturally Diverse Communities at Rideau Hall.

Abdi was a 2010 artist-in-resident at the McColl Centre for Visual Arts in Charlotte North Carolina. Most recently in 2012, he was a fellow at The Interdisciplinary Center for Culture and Creativity (ICCC) at the University of Saskatchewan.

All Photos by Lerato Maduna
© 27/11/2012

What:  Faces and Phases exhibition opening

When:  2 Years ago (27th November 2012)

Where:  Goethe-Institut Südafrika, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood. Johannesburg.

 Where are they now?

Ayanda Moremi got married to Nhlanhla Moremi on the 9th November 2014 in Thokoza and Vosloorus townships, Johannesburg.

Ntobza work and live in Durban.  Yaya Mavundla writes for Inkanyiso

Alia has since moved to Georgia…
 Sly Pod travelled with me to San Francisco and presented her story as a participant in Faces and Phases and on the state of being a young black lesbian professional in South Africa.
See: Photos from Brown Bois Retreat in Oakland, California.

Collen Mfazwe is finishing Photography –  Intermediate Course at Market Photo Workshop.
Collen’s best article “The special boy”

Neo Ntsoma had her documentary produced by AlJazeera 

https://buni.tv/video/artscape-new-african-photography-neo-ntsoma/

Neo is the first black woman recipient of the CNN African Journalist Award for photography...

The number of friends, participants in Faces and Phases series who attended the exhibition… More than 300 individuals were there.

Lesego Tlhwale volunteered for Inkanyiso as a writer and currently work for SWEAT in Cape Town. Lesego’s partner is featured here with her partner, Baitiri.
Best read article by Lesego is “A dildo is not a man, it’s a fantastic toy…”

Ayanda Msiza photographed Tumi Nkopane and Maureen Majola.
Majola performed “Sifela I Ayikho” at Studio 44, Berlin in Germany.
Lerato Maduna, one of the best Black Female Photographers in South Africa, she took the photos featuring in this photo album. Lerato is franked by Siphiwe Mbatha and Collen Mfazwe both from Daveyton township.

Teekay Khumalo, Pinky Mbangula and Sne Lunga are some of the participants in Faces and Phases…

The handsome Teekay contemplating…
He came all the way from Durban to Johannesburg to attend the special event.

L-R:  Visual Artists Humbu Nsenga and Renee Mathibe came to support…

Xana Nyilenda is one of the best young filmmakers and writer.
Read her travel-log:
“Cramps were killing me.”

Members of my bio family who attended my exhibition for the first time in Johannesburg. So wish my late mother was physical there.

Responding to journalist question why I think Visual Activism is so important in South Africa….
Read article:  Poise, Pride and Prejudice

Lungile Dladla is a dedicated young activist. She wrote her first story for Inkanyiso which touched so many readers’ hearts. Titled “I am not a victim but a Victor”

Candice Nkosi won the second princess on Miss Gay Jozi (2013).
She is featuring in the Beauties and Beach series.

NB:  To read related articles CLICK on underlined links provided on this post.

To be continued…

Teaching photography to young women at Aurora Girls High school
with my 3 collaborators/ facilitators: Lindeka Qampi (SA photographer and activist), Linda Mankazana (SA educator and activist) and Valerie Thomas (French physician and activist).
We started the visual project in February 2014 at Aurora Girls High School.
The participating learners’ age group (13 – 20).

Our major goal is to have photography introduced as a course at township schools in South Africa. AGHS is our pilot project. We will host a conference on Young Women and Visual Activism where an exhibition featuring mainly the students photographs will be on show. We wish to have a publication to mark this project.

So far the project is not funded by any donor, Muholi pays for equipment, field trips and compensates the main facilitator for her time. She regards this visual project as part of her social responsibility.

Photo Experience (PhotoXP) was founded by Muholi in 2004 and more than 50 black women have been trained in Basic Photography skills.

2014 April 16:  Our photography facilitator Lindeka Qampi at the centre with our photography learners at Aurora Girls High school, Soweto.

2014 Feb. 17: Photo XP facilitator and founder, Zanele Muholi with one of the young learners at AGHS

2014 July 2: Our beautiful and brilliant facilitators outside French Institute, Paris.L-R:  Lindeka Qampi, Linda Mankazana and Valerie Thomas.

2014 July 2:
…with Lorraine Gobin of RubisMecenat at Zanele Muholi’s studio – Cite Des Arts in Paris.

2014 July 3: At the back Linda & Valerie (at the back) with Sandra & Camilla (front) looking at Lindeka Qampi’s presenting Aurora visual project.

2014 July 5: … at Muholi’s art residency studio, Cite Des Arts in Paris, France.
with Sandra Terdjman and Camilla of Council (an agency for artistic researches)
L-R: … with Valerie,  Linda,  Camilla,  Lindeka,  Sandra and Muholi in front.
Self timed photo captured by Zanele Muholi with Canon 6D.

2014 July 5:  After our meeting and presentation
… at Muholi’s art residency studio, Cite Des Arts in Paris, France.
… with filmmakers from Chromatic Existences - Valerie Urrea and Nathalie Masduraud, who recently launched a documentary on South African photographers.

L-R:  Linda,  Nathalie, Muholi, Lindeka and Valerie Urrea.
Self timed photo captured by Zanele Muholi with Canon 6D.

2014 July 5:  After dinner in Bondy, Paris. France
Our last meeting was with the physician Emmanuelle Piet, director or the Collectif feministe contre le viol and in charge of the PMI organization in Seine-Saint-Denis for the conseil general. She has just launched a campaign against incest in France.
We discussed with her the possibilities of extending the PhotoXP in Seine-Saint-Denis.

to be continued…

The 2014 Cite Des Art Residency in Paris, has given me more than a chance to create but to network with many creative/brilliant minds and also to further my collaborative strategies.

School portraits from Aurora Girls High School, through the eyes of photography learners.

2014 April 16
our participants, Sindi and Nhlanhla playing with the background we used for students’ portraits.

a fellow student peeping out after class…

ever smiling Nhlanhla who is also in the visual project.

I don’t know why Tshili was so serious that day.
She is also in the photo project and capturing amazing visuals.

Eliza...

Sihle…

Ntombi…

I like this portrait so much… Who is she shooting?

Young and sensible Kamo Petlele

Peace out, Sindi.

Thobza look so cool and calm in this one…

Behind every successful learner there is a woman.
Linda and Lindeka who are working tirelessly with the photography learners… 

Photographs by learners will be included sooner.

Related link

2014 July 12: From Soweto to Paris for the love of photography

by Sfiso ‘Candice’ Nkosi

It is Thurs. 26th June 2014, my friend, Precious Maqojana and I left for Durban Pride from Johannesburg Park Station at 22:00. We stopped in Montrose for some refreshments and a bathroom break. I was starting to get anxious because the only thing on my mind was “which toilet will I use?”
I was afraid of the crowd and people who don’t understand queer society; Its hard to be queer because you do not really get to express nor live your life freely like a bird. I must be in makeup, dresses and/or stilettos, to use female public toilets. When I’m just my natural self with no makeup and weaves, I raise eyebrows..

I did not take advantage of my bathroom break and eventually we safely arrived in Durban and checked in at Hilton Lodge. We immediately took a nap as we were so tired from the long trip.

After resting, we updated our pages and Facebooked our friends and fans that were in Durban. It was like we were having a show! People came out in numbers to meet us at our hotel. It was awesome meeting new people.. One of our close friends and sister Le Sishi, showed up and she was also staying at the same place. It was a priceless moment to see each other again.

Beauties in Durban. Stephanie, Candice… Le Sishi in a gold dress and Precious

I went out for clubbing the night before Pride, just to get the feel of the place and socialize. I went to Club 101 of which was close by to our lodging place. It’s a club of mixed genders and sexualities, very welcoming and queer friendly. I met few friends and quickly left to sleep because I needed some rest to revive my energy for Pride.

Precious and I took a bath and had breakfast. Pride started at 10:00 but we didn’t arrive on time. We Queens dear, makeup, dress codes have to be on point. After everything we took a cab to Durban Pride. Just when we arrived we caused a scene and everyone wanted a picture with us. But we were surprised to see such a small number people at Pride. I don’t know if it was organised by different people from last year because in 2013 was epic and very full.

We took lots of pictures, the music was good and we danced our butts off. We met new queer people from trans to lesbians and gays. Around 20:00 people started to show up in numbers and we got confused on why at this time?
For so many reasons – Asazi!
We left to prepare for the after party and dress warmly since it was too cold and the sea breeze was so not friendly.

For the night, we first went to Club Adixions, a queer club owned by a black lesbian woman. It was packed and very hot, there were fans (air conditioners) but they were not working.
I wondered why because people could pass out due to the unbearable heat. The DJ was so bad and kept on repeating the same songs over and over again. We decided to leave the club and go to Club 101 lapho zikhipha khona (where it was much more fun). We felt that we having fun as Durbanites are so friendly, I must say.

I used to hear people saying that some Durbanites are homophobic but we didn’t experience that as all we were getting were compliments of how beautiful we were. Others were asking for numbers and we then partied hard !!!
I met a young transman who is a soccer player who stays in Durban. His name Njabulo Nothando Xulu and he works for Ukhozi FM.

Njabulo and his friends treated us like Queens and that was too exciting. They made sure we were comfortable and safe.I started having the bathroom anxiety again. Maybe queer toilets should now be implemented. I went to a female’s toilet and when I got there some black woman jumped from the base and said “no!!!
This is a females toilets eyamadoda ingale!!!”
I didn’t want drama so I left the club and went to the lodge to use the toilet. I don’t know why I have to encounter issues about the toilets.

L-R: Stephanie, Precious and Candice at Durban South beach

On the following day we left for the beach. I could not be in Durban and not go to the beach as that would be a crime. Firstly we went to Shaka Marine, had lunch and took pictures around and finished our day at the beach. It was awesome I tell you.

The welcomes were heart warming but the goodbyes were emotional especially for me. Thinking that I was going back to Johannesburg, the city of depression and frustration made me cry. I seriously didn’t want to go back home but then I had no choice but to leave with hope that I will come back and see those special people I met who made me feel human and special again. Being in Durban was an inexplicable experience; the love, the comfort, the freedom, the positive energy, the laughter, smiles and joy, which I cherish most in my life.

All thanks to my photographer, mentor and person whom I say I call my family Zanele Muholi for giving us the opportunity to revive our spirit of hope, not forgetting his brother Sbonelo Muholi for being so kind and supportive to our trip. I am honorably blessed and thankful to God.

Candice centered by Le and Mini at Durban South Beach in Dec. 2013

Related link

2014 July 10: My remarkable Durban Pride experience

2014 June, 3^rd

Lindeka Qampi sharing her PhotoXP experience to Valerie Thomas

“I am proud of the Aurora visual project. It is a very powerful and strong project, if I were to compare it with previous projects I have co-facilitated before.

For me, photography needs to be included in the school curriculum, especially for those who will never have the opportunity to go to University. Indeed many teenagers are unemployed in the townships, because of their poor results in high school.   My daughter is an example of this circumstance.

In the townships, photography is a new concept. What I am doing is giving back what I have learned, to the people – my experience with photography. I don’t want to die without sharing what I know.

I was 36 years old when I started photography. It came by accident in my life: we never know our future.

 Katlego, a young traditional healer
© Sindisiwe Ncube

The proud lesbian traditional healer

Katlego Mofube is a 22 years old proud lesbian and traditional healer from the middle of Soweto Naledi East. She was born in 1992.

As all the traditional healers, she did not choose to become a Sangoma (traditional healer) but she believes it is a gift from her ancestors. They are the ones who give Sangomas the gift and this is not something you can run away from. If you try, it will haunt you until you die. Therefore, Katlego choose to accept the gift from those that have gone ahead.

The gift came unexpected and she fainted after her name was called by an ancestor.  She had always been described as different. She grew up wearing boy’s clothes, known as “tomish” (tomboy). Her parents ended up understanding that she was indeed homosexual. She cannot say her parents accepted it but they tolerate it. Her mother is like a sister her because they can talk freely about everything including her girlfriends. Katlego’s dad is furniture salesman and sells beds for a living. She is helping him by being a bookkeeper. She is using her gifts to give her father some direction on his business as well. She was never in the closet and she was very free to talk to me.

She is also a very talented soccer player. She played in a team called The Fair Ladies. We used to play together. Her dream is to play one day with the national team, bafana bafana. She is dating a 17 years old girl.

I learnt from this story that your sexuality must not stop you from reaching your goals and dreams.

I am now looking forward my next story, which is about the albino homosexual who married what others would consider a ‘normal black’ woman.

One of the informal settlement in Soweto
© Thando Methane

Few days after rain and the boys play in dirty water 
© Kamogelo Petlele

Public toilets shared by the informal settlement squatters
© Kamogelo Petlele

Public toilets shared by the informal settlement squatters
© Kamogelo Petlele

Goats grazing the fields…

Miriam cooking meal at home
© Thobekile Zwane

My story is about a Lady called Miriam, aka Kippie.

She was born on the 3^rd of November 1964 and she died at the age of 50, on the 4^th of May 2014.

The colored lady  (one of South African races), and very well known in Kliptown, living with black people in this area, in a very bad situation.

She lived in one room.  It was a kitchen, bedroom – her everything. One can see the dangerous stove smoking in the middle of the room. I tried to capture the lady and the smoke, through the keyhole: it shapes like half the picture. We photographed her in April when we met her. She was welcoming to us. We had the intention of meeting her again.  Unfortunately we found out she had passed away before we could go back. She was sick and  died in May.

She told us she had two children, whom she lived with alone, after her husband left in 2004. He died 6 years ago. He was not taking any medication. ­­­­Her children were young then. Today the eldest is 17 and the youngest 13. They are both still in school. She found out she was positive for about 10 years. At the bottom of her portrait there is a picture framing four kids. We did not ask who they were. We recognised the two younger ones.

She was not working. She could not take her medication because she could not afford to pay for the transport to go to the clinics where free treatments (ARV) were delivered. Those places were too far and it was too expensive to get there. She was not taking care of herself, of her sickness.

I met with her last born child named Given, when I went back to Kliptown. He was wearing a red T-shirt that day. He was the one who passed the news to us that she was very ill. He is now living with a father he does not know because they had been separated for a long time. He grew up without him. We did a short video of him. He was crying and we ended up all crying. I learnt a lesson that tomorrow is not promised. Do not leave any gap. If there is any thing you have in mind just do it.

The last image of her and her family is that of the lock used to close her shelter after she passed.  Those images are like stamps that no one can wipe away. It will always stay there and help the children remember that this person was once alive.

This is the power of images.

 The day we went back to Marie’s we were told that she died few days before and she was buried on the 3rd May 2014  
© Thando Methane

Boy playing with trash
© Thando Methane

Woman performing daily chores…
© Thando Methane

Kids reading in the veranda
© Kamogelo Petlele

Pupils at Aurora Girls High school where the learners are schooling
© Kamogelo Petlele

Angelo is a Grade 12 student at Aurora.
© Kamogelo Petlele

17 years old: Angelo, the teenage mother

I have called my stories “Apartheid then and apartheid now”

My first story is about Angelo. Angelo has experienced so many challenges in her life. She grew up, in an Orange Farm in Soweto, living with her aunt and her aunt’s disabled child. She had to live with them because of the poverty in her original home.

One afternoon, while she was feeding the child, he suddenly fainted and could not move. He suddenly passed in her arms. She ran out screaming and calling for help but the baby could not be resuscitated.  The aunt got very angry and started to believe that Angelo killed her only child. She sent Angelo back home immediately within a blink of an eye.

To make a living, Angelo’s mother was selling chicken heads and feet on the street. She is the main breadwinner. She was already stressed out and struggling to support the whole household. One day, she had to rush to the hospital because Angelo fainted in the classroom. They discovered then that Angelo was pregnant again. The mother called a family meeting and they decided on the route of adoption.

After a few weeks the grandmother who was living with them said otherwise: “children are a blessing” she said “no matter what the circumstances, the child has the right to live with her biological mother”. She convinced the whole family including her daughter, Angelo’s mother. Angelo’s was relieved and thrilled even if she knew nothing about motherhood. Angelo gave birth to a handsome baby boy.

She is now back in school. She found a job and she works in different provinces every weekend and during school vacation, to help contribute to the household. She is struggling with her studies but she is trying to strength her mind. The father of Angelo’s child is contributing as he can. They want to get married. But Angelo’s mother disagrees with a traditional marriage because then, Angelo will belong to the stepfamily …

When we interviewed her, she reflected on her history. She struggles with the same poverty that her mother faced. She is now doing her grade 12 and she will soon be finishing school.

Big challenges.

Her face tells it all
© Kamogelo Petlele

Wandering puppy in the hood
© Kamogelo Petlele

Oh boy…
© Kamogelo Petlele

Beyond 2010 World Cup, boys playing on goal post
© Kamogelo Petlele

The Making of (…) With Aurora’s learners I spent three or four sessions per week since March 2014. For instance on Sunday I was in Soweto at eleven in time to teach and we finished at 5 pm. If we go out on the field, we tend to spend even more time than that. We were in Kliptown for the national election and we managed to get some video of the school as well.

In the photographs and video wanted the students to appear in the background as a symbol of their roots. We have got images at school and the community of Kliptown,which is one of the oldest townships in Soweto.  It very much reminds me of my own childhood. We lived in what was more of a squatter camp.  There are new RDP houses now. Squatter camps are birthed the idea of RDP houses.

There are so many things happening there and its always interesting to observe the daily happenings and how life unforlds there. You can see happiness. An outsider may think the community is poor but there is happiness and a lot of love there. You can see that people are very creative and use whatever they have creatively.  The children make balls from trash, people live together – it all works to starve poverty away.

To face the challenges

For some students, this was the first time to go out explore, as witnesses of their own life.  At first they were shocked and overwhelmed because they saw busy streets, trashed toilets, boxes accummulating,etc – the effects of overcrowding.

I took them into their community so that they could come face to face with the realities and challenges being faced day in, day out.

It is not easy to go out and shoot people. Sometimes, you have to face the attitude of the people. I was almost attacked by a guy while I was filming a woman cooking pap.

Most university students do not know how to interact with the world. Those from the townships understand it more. I teach students to appreciate everything. For one to better know themselves, they must accept their situation first. Learning and acceptance are good values to abide by in life.  It helps them understand the value of respecting one’s body, being careful of the relationships they get into, drinking alcohol, doing drugs or embracing prostitution as a career and ending up raising children alone.

Most of these children grew up witnessing crime and sometimes being caught up in crime. There are different generations to navigate between children of apartheid and born frees, whom they majorly are. Some of what they witness does not make sense to them because they cannot relate to the yesteryear. They are clueless when they see what they see now. They photograph individuals with visible and invisible scars and wounds.  That does not take away from the fact that the place is still bustling with energy; you can hear the music of the drums from the church and others have their chairs outside and they are just hanging out.

You can always see the beauty of it.

I want to say to the world:

Poverty still exists.  We cannot runaway from that. But from the experience of poverty, comes flexibility to face all challenges. Hope is the key to dignity and happiness,

The JOY is THERE!

I want to continue similar projects with other schools because women are a priority right now.

Related articles

2014 July 12:   From Soweto to Paris for the love of photography

and

2014 July 13:  “Give children cameras not candies”

Featuring the  portrait of Siphiwe Mbatha, August House, Johannesburg, 2012
© Zanele Muholi

Previous lectures

2014 June 17:  Muholi’s Ryerson University (RIC) talk

and

2014 April 29:  Muholi to speak at UC San Diego

and

2014 March 21:   Photo of the day from Human Rights and LGBTI in Sub Saharan Africa class

and

2014 March 18:  Sharing South African Queer knowledge with students in America

and

2014 March 5:  More than an activist

and

2014 Feb. 4:  Black Queer Born Frees in South Africa

and

2013 Nov. 4:   From Market Photo Workshop to Bremen University

Birthday self portraits by Zanele Muholi

…@Cite Des Arts in Paris.

In commemoration of my late mother, Bester Muholi who gave birth to me and endured the constraints of birthing.

more photos to be included sooner.

Photos by Valerie Thomas @ Cite Des Arts in Paris

It seems to me, the world has run amok. The recent happenings in the Middle East, the Ukraine, Nigeria, Syria have left me in a deep reflective mood about my mortality.
Why am I here?
How long am I here?
Whose life did I impact?

On this day (19th July), for my birthday, I have requested friends and family members not to buy me presents but to instead write messages of what our relationship means to each other. Life is fleeting. I do not want obituaries to prolong my funeral program when the time comes. I would rather know how I have made a difference in someone’s life while I am still alive.

My dear family and friends were kind enough to share the following:
________________________

Lizzy Muholi

Happy birthday mntaka ma
amazwi amaningi okubonga ngezinto ezinhle ongenzela zona nomndeni wethu awekho, uyisibusiso emndenini nakubantu.
uJehova akubusise, akwandisele, akuphilise, akuphephise, akuphe amandla, okuphila kade.
Ngyakuthanda uluthokozele lolusuku nezo zonke ezinye uphephile

_____________________

Pamela Nkosi

Happy birthday my friend. Hope you have a wonderful day. I can’t believe it’s 14 Years already of knowing you. This morning I was just thinking about the first day of meeting you at Stuttafords. I still remember you had your hair platted up. As you walked in everyone turned their heads to see this beautiful person walking tall, so confident. When we met, I remember your warm hug and your welcoming smile.

You welcome me into your home and trusted a total stranger. Thank you for helping me finding myself when I was lost and confused. Thank you for being a friend and a sister. Thank you for staying humble and paving the way for others. You are blessed, you are gifted. Thank you for not being selfish but sharing your talent with others and for putting South Africa on the map.

I have been following your work. I have no words to describe it. It’s one of its kind. It speaks to you. I’m glad you are working with the girls ekasi lami. It’s a great job you are doing and an amazing opportunity for them.

These are amazing, sad stories. It’s sad learn that there are people who are still living in those conditions. Thanks to your eye opening work.

Wishing you many more artistic years to come. Ukhule, ungakhokhobi and know that you are loved.

______________________________

Title:  Queen with a camera
by  Nonkululeko Britton-Masekela

Dearest Zanele,

It’s a blessing how we met. Me delivering my poetry on stage, you expressing your poetry through a lens. If this is not a sign of how God-sent you are, then nothing in life matters.

I went on to fall in love with your whole being – your sound mind; your incredibly generous heart; your relentless spirit; your insane sense of humour; your quirky and unique sense of style; your ageless body; and your insanely soft lips…

Allow me to digress….

The reason I turned out into a woman of substance and initiative is because I had you as a shining example. I was also deeply loved by you and know (gratefully so) that even though I had the talent, you would have never allowed me to waste it on laziness and complacency. Because you cared so much for me. I will always be grateful for that.

So, I hung on to your camera strap; tagging along with you as you go on your massive missions to right the wrongs in society. You inspired me to write!

13 years later, from across the world and even though life has taken us different ways. I still hold on to a figurative strap of your camera. I still hold on to the vision you have for young girls/ the world. God has sent you yet again to remind me of the young girl I once was, fortunate enough to have had you as a beacon to follow. I am reminded to be that light for another girl.

I want to remind you that not everyone has the same angels. Some girls will not be able to see things as I did back then. They will not take the baton and run with it. Some will ‘get it’ and indeed achieve wonderful things in your lifetime. I want you to never give up on anyone, because if you had given up on me 13 years ago, I would’ve been so much less an extraordinary.

I love you deeply – beyond any form of comprehension. I count myself incredibly fortunate to be amongst those chosen by you as a lover, mentee, photo subject, friend, sister and one you can call to remind you of why you’re so great.

Inkosi iqhubeke ngokukubusisa.
Makukhanye lakuhambe wena.

______________________________

Siya Saysay Mcuta

I’ve been thinking what to say to you besides happy birthday, but all I’m feeling is I want to for seeing potential in me even though I was at my lowest. Thank you for daring me to trust my abilities and thank you for boosting my confidence when I needed it the most
Happy birthday Muholi hopefully I meet you in Paris one day

_______________________________

Amanda Swarr

My birthday wish for you, sent with love and solidarity.
Wishing you a special day, my friend!

____________________________

Fikile Mazambani
“My friend, my comrade in arms, the wise sister I crave and got, dlozi lam!    Today is your day of introspection, reflection, celebration and perhaps imbibing :)

42 years ago, Ma Bester smiled down at you. She knew you were going to be her last. The last born is special. The last born is both blessed and burdened. Somehow blessed with the expertise that the elder children have imparted your parents but also burdened with the nurturing of the eldest siblings.

We share the same blessings and burdens. It gives me so much solace to know that there is someone who understands the pain to my being, that of wanting to belong, to be seen.

Thank you for seeing me, for believing in me when I couldn’t and wouldn’t. Thank you for telling me hard truths that I could never take from anyone else. Only you my friend.

On this day, I look back, and feel super blessed, to know such an enigma, my mad scientist (artist), with a spirit steeped in greatness.  I have learned so many things from you. Most of all, you have pulled me from the deepest hole that you cannot fathom.

Singapore lit such a fire under my arse!
Thank you for making me feel visible, genuinely loved and respected, even though the heat was making me behave like a donkey lol. I had a great time but the best times were spent at the breakfast table, discussing real issues and getting the real issues to surface. That is a memory I hold so dear and will guard fiercely! Conversation at the zen den plus hash browns = 💓.

On your birthday, I want you to really unplug and meditate on all the great opportunities you have been blessed with – good and bad. You have worked hard and I have seen your success unfold right INFRONT of my eyes, further affirming that, hard work + conviction = winning formula. Take today to do you. It’s my birthday challenge for you.

Thank you for being the beacon of light, never compromising who you are. I love you with a fierce in breakable love. I wish you so much success and joy. I just want your soul to sing my friend. I know that day is soon.

This note may seem random, and borderline bonkers but it is from the heart.  I love you and wish you a fantastic day today, joyful and knowing that Ma Bester is watching over and under you!!

Ngiyakuthanda mngani wam!!!”

________________________________

Penny King

Words alone are not enough to express how happy I am you are celebrating another year of your life! My wish for you on your birthday is you are and will always be happy and healthy! Don’t ever change Muholi.

Hope you are having a wonderful happy, healthy birthday and many more to come. Happy Birthday Baba Muholi ukhule ungakhokhobi

________________________

Lerato Dumse

Another birthday, another opportunity from God to grow. Spending time with you one realises that, you are strong, you are loving, you are passionate and you have genuine care. The role you play in so many of our lives makes your existence in this earth so valuable. You are a support system to many, and to some, their ONLY support system. Like a real leader you sometimes carry the load of others and still remain strong. Hope you realise the gigantic role and contribution you make to the black community everywhere you go.To me you are a mentor, colleague, teacher, mother, father and a friend wrapped in one and that’s why I love you so much.
Happy Born Day Baba, Sisonke!

_____________________

Linda Nonkululeko Mankazana

Your mother Im sure she was full of smile on this day because another blessing was brought into her life. I hate death. I miss my mother every minute of my life. I hope your day was and is still good for you. Ukhule nentliziyo yakho emyoli. God has blessed me with you.

________________________

Neo Ntsoma

_________________________

Christie Van Zyl

My dearest friend,

Yes Muholi, you are my dear friend. It is strange for me to be friends
with a 40+ woman of your stature. Abantu abafuni ukuguga.
Zanele you have been a solid foundation in my life, from the moment we met in
2011. You showed me the little things that allow for me to be free of
my limitations. It’s relieving to be able to have at least one aspect
of myself to feel good about when I’m feeling low ; with you in my
life, they’ve nothing but multiplied and continue still today.

Had I not met you through our dear friend Lebo Mashifane, I wouldn’t
have been able to build myself up out of the dark holes that my
problems often leave me in. Meeting you has allowed me to explore my
creativity, talents, skills and most importantly myself.

At times I have been overwhelmed with the kind of great things that
you have trusted me with, but it has done me great wonders in building
my courage, self-esteem & identity. I recently realised that I have
always been worried about what you expect and what you will think of
me if I don’t meet your expectations. You have never given up on me
though, no matter how much I felt I’d disappointed you – I Keep going
because of your omnipresent love.

I don’t know what passion this is that connects us, but every time I am
at my lowest you call me and give me tasks that remind me why I
shouldn’t be tied down by negativity. I thank you and I love you
always.

You are a great mentor, sister, artist and fighter. May you continue
to remain a blessing and blessed too.

________________________________

Arthur Baradzanwa Mataruse

Happy Birthday Zanele! Meeting you has been a special event in my life.
May your work keep speaking volumes in its subtle beauty!
May your light stay bright!
Love

______________________________

Papiso Matsau

Today I celebrate you… you showed up in my life when I was flat-lining and stirring in my soul at the same time. You made the noise make sense and gave me a breath of fresh air to a jaded heart. Shortly before I met you I started having a series of dreams about a martial arts boot camp where my instructor wore orange/gold material… the series of dreams ended in a long lesson of a barter system. Where I was shown how to get what my spirit craves without being a slave to money… I am still letting that sink into my conscious. You showed up as a personification of that system and so much more…. You’re appreciated. loved. healing. inspiring. and loved some more…

peace Z…
may your Earth days multiply to keep blessing Us.

________________________________

June Barrett 1999 till now, I’ve watched you grown into this amazing Artist/ Activist Phenomenal person.
Thank you Zanele Muholi for all you are doing through your work for all LGBTI PEOPLE everywhere. Viva muholi!!!

_______________________________

Collen Mfazwe

Our relationship means a lot to me and since I ever met you my life has change a lot for the better, I was just a person but now I’m a person with profession and
also your words make me stronger everyday, I thank you but I thank the woman who gave birth to such a wonderful loud person a lot. Its like you took me from
the streets and put me in paradise to everyone who see you with that different Eye I just wish they can just sleep with you in the same matras not bed cause you don’t own one, so that they know you better and feel your love and enjoy that meal you’ll be serving cause you don’t want to see people hungry cause the
won’t work and blame it on hunger. I don’t see my life without you that why I apologies when I wrong you. Thanks Muholi Muholi. Happy birthday

________________________________

Athi Patra Ruga

Umdala mpintshiiiii !
I love you and thanks for being my hero.
love to Val …
love to the world on your day.

_______________________________

Luh Cele

“Please allow me to be the last one to say, OLWAKHO LOLUSUKU!
To me you are a chosen generation you were born after Nelson Mandela’s birthday. You share the same month with the legend that has made history that will never fade away.

You are possible Zanele Muholi. The way that you put things into perspective made the image of the real you. Your critical thinking gives every homosexual in South Africa the hope of love, freedom and the acceptance on grounds. We are hoping and praying that heterosexuals could accept homosexuals by not raping and killing them.

Every time when I go outside deep down I know that we “homosexuals” have an activist who stands for us in every country that you reach.
You portray our images and people get to know the true life that we are living here Emzansi.

Please keep our flag flying all the time Muholi.
I really appreciate your work!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAY YOU LEAD US TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME!”

____________________________

Lebohang Mashifane 

I’d like to begin by saying HEPI BEFDAY!!! I met you and I became part of your 1st series of your lifetime project (Faces and Phases).
After that you took me under your wing to mentor me. You returned into my life when I was at my lowest point and you raised me back up, like dust risen by the rhythm of dancing feet. I can never thank you enough for all that you have done for me in my life, it even makes my own mother happy to have your existence in our current lifetime. You are a strong conqueror in my eyes and a great teacher. I have learned so much from you and you have been patient with me… I even shared a cell with you in sea point police station… I appreciate every single moment of my first so called ”arrest” incident. I’m am privileged to know you the way I do. Not everyone has had the opportunity to step into your living space, shared a meal you, and even shared a bed with you!!! The more I get to know you, the more I love you. The more I love you is the more I miss you. I enjoy every hug I share with you and every knowledge I learn from you. Please don’t ever give up on your strength.

May you live for more years and continue making history/urstory I LOVE YOU ZANELE!!

__________________________

Yaya Mavundla

I won’t lie and say the first time I met you I said “That’s my dream” like Beyoncé & Jamie Fox on their duet, especially that I didn’t know much about you.

But as time went by, I knew I wanted people to read all about our work in the papers.
Today I listen to Emeli Sande – Next to you and think of you and I know we both relate to the lyrics.

Yesterday I was looking at my Durban pictures we shot at the beach with the girls and it rang in my mind that I had spent so much time in Durban but never had such experience and I thank you for that ♡ and thanking you on behalf of the other girls.

I’m laughing at how many years it took me to realise who am I really am.
I looked at the mirror this morning and I was like damn, why did it take so long for this transformation to happen?
It feels good!
I’m happy and that’s because of you. Thank You.

You introduced me to so many people in such a short space of time.
Some of them are bad people, I can’t lie… I just can’t stop thinking about them.
Some of them are good people whom I know are for keeps.
You introduced me into sharing space with a group of people and all I can say it wasn’t my best experience, at all but I am great full for the experience.

Working with you was fun, exciting and exhausting. You would step on my toes, get annoyed and smile again, it was all-natural! We made a great team and still do.
Thank You for teaching me it is owk to be myself, for teaching me it is important to document my life and doing it for other people.
With all that said, I wish you all the best in life.
God bless you and Happy Birthday. ♡

________________________________

Zodwa Zwane

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. “ Jeremiah 1:5.

Mine mandi kuwe.Siyabulela ku Thixo ngobomi bakho..Nga u Thixo aqhubekele qho ukukunika amava nobucushe. Nga akukhusele phansi kwamaphiko akhe akulonde bese ekwandisele nemikhawulo yakho. Happy birthday. God bless you and stay bless. Namaste.

____________________________

Teekay Khumalo

Happy birthday Muholi, May God bless you with many more years to come mfethu akugcine nje.uqhubeke nokwenza imisebenzi yakho emihle usebenzela i Lgbti community.Imisebenzi yakho mfana ingaphezu kweminyaka yakho.
Mina nje ngiqala ukukwazi bekuwu 2004.

Nalapho wawu thuthukisa yona le community mfethu usipha ulwazi ngokuthatha izithombe. Sifundiseka ukuthu uma kanjan uma ufuna isthombe sakho sibe ilento oyifunayo.Wawungapheli mandla ukt asiyazi kahle lendaba yezi thombe. Kodwa ngothando nentshesekelo yokuth labantu Ufuna siluthole ulwazi. Futhi nje wasiqeqesha ngempela Muholi mfeth wawuse Behind the musk ngaleso skhathi.Ingakho ngith imisenzi yakho mfeth ingaphezu kweminyaka yakho mfana.Nomoya wakho owodwa ongashitshi. Mina nje selokhu ngakwazi uyinto eyodwa,awukaze wazibona usungcono kunomunye.Uhlale mfethu unjena akugcine uNkulunkulu qhubeke nokusebenzela uyiphakamise iLGBTI community.God bless you mfana hope u will enjoy ur day

___________________________

Christina Dominguez

Happy birthday my dear friend! I hope you realize today what a gift you are to this universe! Much love to you on this day and everyday

____________________________

Thulielove Sodumo

And then today a wonder was born..
A wonder that would bring change to the wonderful world of difference and adventure…

You are God sent in many of our lives Zanele Muholi.
You keep on making this world a better place for every young queer.
You keep reintroducing to the world of wonderful things.
Through you we believe, we live and conquer.

May you be blessed ion abundance…
May you continue to be a breath of fresh air.
Guess this is me wishing you a splendid birthday..

Keep the torch of peace, love and tolerance alight all day and everyday!

Love you mwah
Be kind..always.

________________________________

Sebenzile Nkosi

2012 was a crazy year for me. Earlier that year you came by and took photos, I had only met you the year before and we always looked forward to seeing you again, but this time it was different. You took pictures of me too. I never knew before then that I was in the same room and always felt so invisible. Later that year we went to your exhibition and I love a night out to see the orchestra, but this was a new highlight for me.

I got really sick and had to have my appendix removed. My family came and they were so cold.
You guys came in and out,always so busy. Then one day, a day I will never forget is when you came to the hospital and stayed the whole day. Again I didn’t feel so invisible.

Every time we meet you always encourage me to write. My stories are not always happy but telling them has been the best way of letting go.

Thanx you again for helping me with my fees. I can’t even begin to show you my gratitude. And over and over you have shown me and my family more kindness than any person it have ever met.

Ngathi Nkulunkulu angakubusisa akwandisele netinsuku takho

Ngibonga kakhulu

__________________________________

Lindeka Qampi

Happy Birthday my friend. May God bless you for sharing yourself, opportunities, earnings and Shelter. Not even the government has been able to do for us, what you have done. You have developed us and respected us at the same time. No one can do what you are doing. Sometimes I feel like crying because no one opens their pockets for us, no one makes you travel. I am now a facilitator because of you. You made me gain my confidence back. My background was bad but you did not see that. You boosted my spirits and made me have a voice. Even when others undermine me, you mention my name and you value me. You uplift me and you continue to develop me. Thank you for inviting me to work with the children from Aurora. Together we will change the world. I respect your vision of using photography to change the world as well as making it a career. God Bless you.

____________________________________

Xana Nyilenda

Just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday I’m very proud and
happy to say I have a friend and colleague like you in my life. You’ve
taught me what hard work is – of which I’m still striving towards,
-helped me understand that family isn’t just those who share the same
blood as you and that with the right attitude any dream can be
achieved. I especially enjoy your straight forward sense of humour
although it can get frustrating at times I think it’s one of the best
parts makes you Muholi.
Stay grounded and as humble and funny as you
are, enjoy your day and may you be blessed with many more to come.

Much Love

____________________________________

Charmain Carrol

Good Morning Muholi

Born of greatness
Born of royalty
Born of compassion
Born of peace
Born of beauty
So have yourself a wonderful day full of love and lots of laughter.

___________________________________

Ellen Eisenman

my dear friend

its been 6 years since we met via email, introduced by Clarissa. ours has been a rewarding relationship for both of us. as for me, i can honestly say your work as an activist continues to inspire me, and i’m thankful to be part of the continuation of your work, art, and life.

i’m sending some words that i hope you can relate to. the narrator is you.

love, ellen.

__________________________________

Gabrielle Le Roux

In the more than ten years that we have been friends and fellow activists, there were times (this is long ago now when you were not so well-known) when we talked about our work and it felt like we could understand each other’s positions more closely than anyone else. I treasured those conversations as they made me feel less isolated in what I was trying to do. As your star rose, you have less time for that sort of connection with me but you still offer such valuable advice: “Work with the positive people who love and respect your work, don’t spend time on the haters”.

You have shown me great kindness and generosity along the way at home and abroad. Thank you.

I appreciated our joint exhibition this year, thanks for sharing the space with me at WAM.

Don’t talk of dying, the world needs you Zanele. I wish you long life, strength, good health and the ability to stay centred in the midst of being so busy.

Your work is of global importance and I’m so happy that the world is seeing that and seeing you in all your beauty in your lifetime. Don’t let it consume you or burn you out my friend.

Happy birthday Zanele!
Your life and example and friendship is a gift.

______________________________

Nompumelelo FoFa Mamqwathi

Happy Birthday my Beautiful Friend!
I don’t know how many times I re-wrote this letter in my head, extra brain lol mybee am too nervous

Thank you for being a comforter that’s filled with inspiration
You gave me unlimited hope to never limit myself and pushed my energy to always strive to beautify Abstract
It feels like yesterday when I was knew to my Art and emerged to a Curator
Because of your support and networks I managed to host a powerful exhibition, even though my Senior Curator never thought I will pull it through

Thank you for teaching me about the power of thy self beauty, forgiveness
Your iconographic membrane will always leave an unforgettable mark in Wisdom History

I hope my letter finds you still fresh in Paris

Keep pushing, never stop inspiring
Much love
Stay blessed

____________________________

Ntokozo Morgan Nzaca
kuyintokozo ukuthi unkulunkulu usakuhlengile futhi usakugcinile.Wena unguthandiweyo wakhe. wazi wakupha nesipho esikwenze ukuthi waziwe umuhlaba wonke. ngalokho umubonge njalo. izolo umama Esther wabeleka ingane enhle, enothando nesipho sokufundisa futhi enozwelano nabantu. lapho akhona uyaziqhenya ngawe. ezulwini uyachoma ngawe . ngithembe ube nosuku oluhle mngani wami. kuningi engikufunde kewena futhi kuningi engisazokufunda. ubusiseke unkulunkulu akugcine. love you big bro.
___________________________

Zanele Muholi … Per our chat…
Here’s some herstorical context to our friendship to remind you, that no matter where you are in the world (and send me a pic of the Eiffel Tower please?) …
You have people who know you and love you.

1. I opened your very first email account. In Melville, think it was 2000.  Womenonwomen days

2. We went to the World Conference Against Racism together and every day you took the money you made from selling the first square edition on WOMYN and had it printed on a white vest you bought at the Wheel and sold it to conference delegates. You’ll remember Nomfundo Wakwa Luphondwana and Phumi Mtetwa and Thokozani Ndaba were with us. N was bonding with her ancestors. It was stressful. Also, you took us to your mom’s work and she gave you a rainbow jersey

3. You took me to a women’s prison to give the lesbians there old bottles of shampoo and soap we got from Viv.. I had just met her. Viv bought us the car to go to the conference, but couldn’t see how it was gonna justify the revenue I needed to run the mag.
4. You inspired Viv to sponsor the Survivors.. The lesbian soccer team in KwaThema … She joined the team… I watched. Remember?

There is so much, so many stories, so many people, but remember this: I love you ..
We love you.. Whether you’re a famous artist or an unemployed no-name brand.
We got your back. We, your family.
Happy Birthday. Xxxx

____________________________

Le Sishi
“Wow Mr muholi, ur mum was blessed by receiving an ambitious and loving soul.”
___________________________

Dear Professor Zanele Muholi

“I received your e-mail last night, it kept me thinking and noticing that it was your birthday I seriously didn’t know what to say . Reading your e-mail gave me butterflies specially the line that says
“Tell the world the truth, do not cry when you hear of my passing but celebrate those special moments we shared.”
In most cases people who say such words are those who are close or see that their time of crossing over is getting closer.
Honestly it kept me worried and I asked myself many questions like what’s on your mind? Are you ok?

Zanele came to my life as a blessing in disguise, I’m not buying your face nor begging anything from you but telling the world the truth as you wish.

When you came in my life you found me in a tough situation, a situation of confusion, pain, giving up, loneliness and specially when my family abandoned me.

You thought me to respect every human kind, to stand up for myself and be as confident as possible. I used to doubt myself but you made me realise that, There’s only one Candice Nkosi and I should live my life, like There’s no tomorrow.

You made me realise that life is not about me, but the legacy and/or mark I make in people’s lives.

If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t understand my gender or sexual identity. You changed my life by being open and free of imvelaphi yami, my roots, ubutabane bani.

You helped my climbing a second step of success.
I met young active beautiful and warm hearted people all because of you, you introduced me to people whom I can proudly say they are my family to name a few, Yaya Mavundla, Mama Lindeka, Xana Nyilenda, Le Sishi, sis Do from uMlazi P section, Vukani, Charmain Carrol, Lynne Carrol, Nqobile Zungu the list is endless.

All the fun times I’ve experienced with you and the Inkanyiso crew played a very significant role in my life. Those small things that people take for granted I cherished them and they’ll forever be part of my story.

Through it all, Zanele Muholi changed my life by seeing things in a different way and take every different person into account. I’ll forever respect and give thanks to God for such a blessing of meeting this unique unexplainable soul.
Happy Birth Day Muholi you are truly a leader like your surname.

“Qhubeke njalo bahole ondlebe zikhayilanga ezizweni.”

- Ms Candice Nkosi

_____________________

More messages to be included…

Five months later…

by Yaya Mavundla

How often does a black transwoman from the rural areas get to meet Victoria Beckham in person; have breakfast in the same restaurant with Carlos Santana, fly around Cape Town in a helicopter? Honestly chances are zero, or so you might think. It came true for me.

Every time I thought of Cape Town I just thought of how expensive everything is said to be, definitely not a city I ever thought I would enjoy spending the whole week at.

On 26 February 2014, Zanele Muholi, Valerie Thomas and I, travelled from Johannesburg to Cape Town for Design Indaba where Zanele Muholi was one of the speakers for State of the Art.
When we arrived at the airport at about 13:10 the driver from @designindaba was already waiting with a sign written ‘Zanele Muholi’ as instructed by Cherize Ross, the project manager of the event.

Panelists:  L- R: Athi Patra Ruga, Zanele Muholi, Nandi Mntambo &  (Moderator) Hans Ulrich.

In my mind I thought we were getting into a shuttle but to my surprise, it was the new Mini Cooper. I was beyond words! Almost every girl would love to be driven around in the new Mini around the Green City of Cape Town.

I knew we were going to an upmarket hotel, Mount Nelson, but I didn’t realise its historical significance. The luxury was on another level and, the people you meet there are people of a certain standing in society.

While at the reception waiting for our room allocation, the Victoria Beckham came in like boom!
I mean it’s a different experience having to be in the VIP area at an Elton John concert and be in the same reception area with such a global icon. Goose bumps are what you get when such happens.

Our room was still being prepared for us to move in and after four hours of waiting for our room allocation, we moved in. This was definitely something that we were not anticipating and perhaps left a bitter taste in our mouths. All I can say is incompetence!

Apart from that, and I say that lightly, everything else was superb. The linen was definitely the most comfortable linen I’ve ever slept in. It was so luxurious that I couldn’t wait to take a nap to feel the softness rubbing against my skin. My skin was actually written happiness all over when I woke up.

After we had settled in and had time to freshen up, we got ready for dinner and Muholi suggested we go to V&A Waterfront. We opted to take a walk which was about 35min although it did not feel anything like it at all. I certainly enjoyed the crisp air and the exercise. Valery wanted to eat Oysters, which I later tried and decided against.

We finally found a restaurant which served sea food. Unfortunately, or fortunately – depending on who you are – we had to dine outside as it was full inside. It was cold, as the restaurant we chose was right next to the harbour. After we ordered our drinks and food, they were able to create a very small table for three, right next to the door inside and they went ahead and fussed over us.

After a great dinner we had, we decided to go back to the hotel and rest as the week ahead was going to be hectic. Everything seemed as if we were going have a great experience and that’s what exactly happened.

Photos by Lindeka Qampi & Zanele Muholi

To be continued…

To interact with me please follow me on twitter and Instagram
@YayaRSA

or

@MuholiZanele.

You can also like our Facebook page Inkanyiso.

My name is Refilwe Pitso but am popularly known as ‘Fifi’.
I was born and raised in Daveyton, Benoni in Johannesburg. I was born on the 27th of December 1991 and I was raised by my mother. She is a single parent but there were other guardians who helped raise me as well. I currently live with her and my younger sister.

My highest level of education is matric and I graduated with a B. I am employed at Ackermans as a shop assistant. I am also a treasurer on non-profit organisation called Team Dress Fresh, an organisation involved with street fashion. I love modeling very much.
In 2013 I won the Mr Uthingo pageant in Daveyton. The experience was fun but the competition was tight. I was competing against my best friend Meme. The first time I entered, I won the Mr Valentine title, as a 2nd Prince. When I entered this time, I was confident I would win. I knew I had the looks, I knew the challenges, the personality I needed to project and I know modeling as a whole. In the end I won best prize and there was a photo frame and man’s accessories included.

The future plans that I have for myself are to rise up in the real world, becoming something that people could never believe from a person like me. I would like people to know that when they’re looking at me they are looking at a man who is trapped in a woman’s body. Frankly what am trying to say is I am lesbian.

I was born this way and I cannot change the skin that I live in.
In terms of gender I identify as a female, a woman who likes the satisfaction of another woman. I identify as butch and to me this means that I am a masculine person in a relationship. This tends to denote a degree of masculinity displayed by a female individual beyond that typical of a tomboy.

My hobbies are playing soccer, reading novels, watching TV, and fashion shows.

My family and I went through rough patches these past few years. When I came out as a lesbian, it came as a horrifying shock to them. They thought that I was cursed. They thought that the devil was using me and that I had a demon in me. They started taking me to various churches to be exorcised, but nothing changed. I kept on telling them that the devil was not using me and this is who I was and nothing could change me. Time passed by and they started realising how I lived my life and they started gaining an understanding that people like me live by God’s will. Suddenly they were showing me real love
and real support.

I take relationships seriously, even though our generation takes love for granted. I am currently dating and I try by all means to love and cherish my woman. My parents are totally aware of my relationship, and so do the family of my girlfriend.

I live in a nasty township where unexpected deaths occur. Anything is possible there. Crime rates are very high. People went from being human to being animals and the law is not doing enough, especially around lesbian/gay crime.

As a black lesbian my life is always in danger on the streets, taxi ranks, clubs and even in schools. People are homophobic every day and so far nothing has changed. As the LGBTI community, we try
hard to educate people about who we are, what we are and what we do, but to them it is like telling them to hate us more.

If I were to become a leader or a politician, I would focus on hate crimes and finding solutions on how to overcome them. I believe they will not be completely eliminated but that more could be done to have them under control.

If given a chance to do something that will change my life, I would become the first lesbian president and my platform would be to champion equal rights. The true meaning of being young is to live happily, show love to my race, show people that I am more than who I am romantically attracted to and that I am human being who is equally capable to think and bring change to the world. The true meaning of being a woman means I don’t have to be ashamed of who I am and who I have become.

‘Fifi’ featuring in Faces and Phases

When I saw my picture on the wall I was amazed by the work Zanele Muholi was doing, I mean she chose me coz she saw something in me, and I felt happier than ever.
When my parents saw my picture my mum was like “ngwanaka you definitely a man.” She is now proud of me, am proud of taking that chance when I still got the time, and thanks to Zanele now people know who I am.

L-R: Meme Motaung, Shaz Mthunzi & Refilwe Pitso @ WAM opening on 29th Jan. 2014

Previous life stories

2014 June 25: I consider myself beautiful not handsome

and

2014 May 24: The special boy

and

2014 May 7: I don’t like being identified in terms and definitions

and

2014 May 18: Behind the beautiful face you see is a lesbian who is torn into a million pieces

and

2014 May 30: I was a boy who would one day grow up to be a man

and

2013 Oct. 22: I thought university was for the rich

and

2013 Oct. 16: I am a beautiful young dyke, a woman lover

and

2013 Oct. 12: I just feel she deserves much better

and

2013 Oct. 2: I am a normal transgender woman’

and

2013 Aug. 22: Am exactly where I’m supposed to be

and

2013 July 15: The virus has become a silent relative

and

2013 June 27: Who I Am

and

2013 March 10:  “I love women and they love me”

and

2013 February 28: I am not a Victim but a Victor

My reflection on our 2012 Paris trip that we, Thokozani Football Club (TFC) had.

It all started at the Thokozani football club that I joined voluntarily in 2008, hence I’m proud of myself for making such a good decision.

Firstly I would like to convey my gratitude to Cecile Chatrain, Veronica Noseda (who initiated the plan for us to be in Paris) and their generous connected to Zanele Muholi who is friends with them. I cannot forget TFC manager, Lizzy Muholi because without their dedication to our team we wouldn’t be able to fulfil the dream of going to Paris. Most importantly and not forgetting, the Equipe Les Degommeuses for their potential support that they’ve given us.
I have played soccer several teams and I have been rewarded with lot of certificates of appreciation, medals and trophies but with Thokozani I have found love, support and a home.
In 2012 we went to Paris to play against the Equipe Les Degommeuses. That tour to Ile-de France will never fade away in our thoughts, it has been permanently emblazoned on our subconscious minds believe me. It was the best feeling and every homosexual would die to have a chance to experience it.

Days were moving pretty fast, the warmth and love that we were receiving in every workshop or the meeting with the youth from France at the Cybercrips was outstanding”

We have carried the spirit of Thokozani Qwabe whom will always be loved and missed. She is a legend to be remembered for being true to her sexual orientation and for “coming out” as a female homosexual hence she was brutally killed for that. Living your life by being out about your sexual orientation doesn’t mean that you need to be redefined by someone. We don’t need to be “defined” we know who we are and we are happy we need no conversional methods to cure us because this is not a disease, we are not sick and not confused.

At the arrival in Paris round about 10 am, that moment of putting your foot in another country, with different atmospheric pressure and different settings, is an extra ordinary feeling. Thank you for the warm welcome at the Charles De Gaulle airport.

Days were moving pretty fast, the warmth and love that we were receiving in every workshop or the meeting with the youth from France at the Cybercrips was outstanding”

On our first day, we went to a music festival, Solidays, which was against human immunodeficiency virus/acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). There were many games which were conveying health education messages on how to prevent HIV/AIDS, which was the purpose of the festival. When I looked at my watch it was 20:25 and it was still hot because the sun was still up. I was thinking that back at home, everybody was tired from the long day, relaxing inside their homes and watching Generations, and that the sun had set.

Days were moving pretty fast, the warmth and love that we were receiving in every workshop or the meeting with the youth from France was outstanding. I have never felt such a thing in South Africa.
The screening of the documentary, Difficult Love (2010) and ensuring debate with the French citizens was highly noted and appreciated by the TFC team.

Thembela with TFC members in Paris, June 2012.
Photo by Laurence Prat

Nompilo and Thembela ‘Terra’ 

During the game at Parc de Prins stadium in Paris, 2012.
Thanks to Foot for Love organisers

Thank you for the support. I wouldn’t forget the free tour guide visit to the Eiffel Tower,  the Louvre Museum, and the park where the body of Sarah Baartman’s body was confined and on show for public before her body was repatriated to its rightful resting place.

I watched UEFA champions league and I see Paris Saint-German football club (PSG) playing at the “Parc des Princes” (Le Parc) stadium all the time but I never knew that I would be given a chance to play in the stadium for 90 minutes. I just smile and my heart jumps each time I think of it. I always make sure that everybody gets to know that I played at that stadium.

A big thank you goes to all Equipe Degommeuses, Laurence Prat, Paris based photographer who took our beautiful photographs during and after the match.
I cannot forget Lesbiennes of Color (LOCs); the Family Planning in Paris, where the TFC stayed overnight;  the Lesbiennes of colors, who organized the lesbian festival on Friday and Mimi (owner of Rosa Bonheur) and the team, who organized the party at the bar in the Park..
Violette & Co library that hosted Muholi’s talk, the Région Ile-de-France, the Crips Ile-de-France, the City of Paris and everybody who made our visit to Paris, France successful.

Last but not least, Paris Pride was well organised and it really symbolised the acceptance and support from heterosexuals to homosexuals. I was quite surprised by the number of people who attended the march. That was nice and I already miss walking down the streets of Paris because I have never been so free and so not worried about discrimination, biphobia and homophobia. I love Paris, infact I love Parisians.

Please don’t forget us. We, at TFC will never forget you.
Love

Nokulunga ‘Luh’ Cele

Related links

2013 June 6: Reviving the spirit of Thokozani

by Lerato Dumse

Seizing opportunities was the central message shared with more than 15 teenage girls at Aurora Girls High School, in Soweto on 1st August 2014.

The girls are part of the Siyafundisana Photo XP, a photography training project founded by Zanele Muholi.Muholi is in collaboration with Linda Mankazana, Lindeka Qampi and Valerie Thomas.

L-R:  Elisa Pica, Lindeka Qampi, Mfundi Vundla, Thobza Zwane and Lerato Dumse

Muholi who had arrived in South Africa that from Paris, France that morning, after being away for three months, said the event is how she wanted to start her Women’s month.

The award winning photographer reminded the girls that they are doing it for themselves, and they all have their own stories to tell.

Some of the young women’s families, teachers, project facilitators and various guests were present. Guest speakers were Phumla Masuku, former learner and co-founder of Chosen FEW soccer team, Nonkululeko Britton-Masekela, a journalist and poet and Mfundi Vundla, executive producer of South African soapie Generations assembled inside one of the classrooms. Mfundi shared his story of persistence and seizing grabbing an opportunity.

Reminiscing about how he was told to write a South African soapie, he asked his wife to buy soapie books in the United States of America, because he had never written a soapie.

Despite his lack of experience, Mfundi said he spent the next weeks reading up on, and watching soapies, before giving birth to Generations, which became an instant hit.

Nonkululeko started her day with the girls by doing an exercise where the girls had to imagine the future them, where they are in life, and how they are making a living.

Nonkululeko who wrote her first poem in Grade 11, told the young photographers that grabbing opportunities allowed her to be a paid journalist by the time she started her first year in journalism at the University of Johannesburg.

Each learner shared their vision of the future them. While some saw themselves in three years, others saw five years from now.

One of the learners Nomthandazo Sibanyoni (19) saw herself in ten years time.
At 29 Nomthandazo sees herself with an Honors degree in the Arts. Her biggest motivation at the moment is the fact that she is the first person in her family to reach matric.
Mbali Vilakazi and Nonkululeko Britton-Masekela shared their moving poetry in closing.

Related links

2014 July 16: Through the eyes of young women photographers

and

2014 July 13: “Give children cameras not candies”

and

2014 July 12: From Soweto to Paris for the love of photography

My name is Katiso Kgope, and I was born on September 18, in 1995.
I was born in Glen Wood hospital, Benoni my parents are Mandla Kgope and the late Mpho Kgope – Monyake.

I was given the name of Katiso by my mother, which originates from the Setswana term Goatisa which means Addition, basically an addition to our big family.

I speak English, iSiZulu and Setswana fluently.

From a very young age, mentally my mind was feminine. I did not know why at the time as I was still very young and did not have a clear understanding of the mental state I was in.

But for some reason I had always been attracted to all the things girls would be attracted to and wanted nothing to do with what boys would be attracted to.
I was told that when I was still a child, every morning when my mother got ready for work, I would always be in her bedroom playing with all her things such as her makeup, her jewellery, especially her shoes, I was in love with her shoes.

My father would take me and lock me up in the car when my mother got ready for work in a sense that they were hoping the longer I stayed away, the better chances of me losing interest in such things and little did they know that, that was just the tip of the ice berg.

I did not know what being trans meant when I was a child, I didn’t understand what I was doing but for some reason it felt normal to me.

I am a beautiful trans woman, and I strongly believe that we all come from God, and that perhaps sometimes He makes mistakes because I feel my original body parts were given to the wrong individual.

I consider myself to be a cordial person, as I have been told. I am a very friendly and a social butterfly and there is nothing I enjoy more than meeting new people, especially those who are just like me, because I find the different types of life stories of other trans women very fascinating.

I feel that just making new friends with other transwomen will be just a beautiful experience.
I also entered 2 pageants, I lost the title of Miss Gay Daveyton and the second pageant I entered I won Miss Valentine’s Second Princess along side Miss T as the third and first Princess and Cuteness as the Queen.

I wish to have a sex change when my financial situation allows me to. There is nothing that would make me happier than to be an actual woman.

To be honest I love how I look, but like anyone else, there are just a few things I would like to change; such as my smile, my narrow hips and my flat chest as well as getting a female organ. That would be the cherry on top.

I would have loved to be able to physically give birth but sadly we all know that will not happen.

My grandmother whom I lived with in a township called Daveyton, passed away on June 21.

My mother died when I was three years old and my father looked after me until I finished high school. My father has not fully accepted the fact that I am trans, and I highly doubt he ever will.

His hatred of my sexual preference has resulted in a huge rift in our relationship in such a way that, we hardly ever speak.
The only time we communicate is when school is involved; otherwise we have nothing to talk about. Basically there is no father-child relationship.

Its even worse that he has a new wife and a new baby girl, which gave my dad room to make excuses to not support me financially where school is not involved, but I love my baby sister anyway.

I attended a primary school called Lee Rand Primary School until grade 5 when I had to change to Pine Grove Primary School where I finished junior school.

I had to move to the different primary schools because the first school didn’t treat me well due to my sexuality. I then went to Springs Technical High school, and matriculated in 2013.
I did not study further than High School.

I have always dreamed of being a model, but everything I have tried to do has failed because my father was not supportive.

My first dream was to become an actor, I was hoping that I was going to attend the National School of the Arts but my dad said it was too expensive, so that failed like my modelling.

I then decided that I want to study fashion at any fashion college, and I heard the same excuse I have been hearing from him for any school I wanted, “that is too expensive, I cant afford”.
I had gotten so sick of that line so much that I decided to resort to my plan C, which was to attend a government college in Benoni called Benoni Ekurhuleni College.

When I applied it was full, so I had to settle for Springs Ekurhuleni College. I decided to study something that would please my father as he was willing to pay for something that was more on the “practical side”.

I am currently studying towards a Diploma in Marketing at Springs Ekurhuleni College. I wish to further my studies after receiving my diploma in marketing and studying what I have always wanted; fashion.

I have always had a dream of becoming a trans super model because I feel that so far the world is yet to see a transsexual woman take the title.

What I fail to understand is why trans women are never in adverts in South African magazines, as well as TV series and in movies.

Since no one had the courage to do so that is all about to change. I plan to be the first transsexual super model to make it big in the world and make a name for myself and most importantly to represent for all trans women that did not get a chance to let the world know who we are and what we stand for.

The world needs to learn that the LGBT community consists of human beings and we also have dreams and its time that all changed.

I wish to travel to New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, London, Belgium and Greece to do things such as photo shoots, fashion shows, exhibitions and any kind of event.

I want to do a photo shoot in the Arc de Triomph, Eiffel Tower and in the neo-classic Haussmannian boulevards plus. Have a shoot in the beautiful Central Park in New York, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Times Square and most importantly in Hollywood, and the Hollywood walk of fame, the Myrtos Beach, Mykonos, and Santorini.

I wish to get the chance to meet famous idols such as Bonang Matheba, Somizi Mhlongo, Khanyi Mbau, Dineo Ranaka, and other international fashion designers such as Marc Jacobs, Stella MCcartney.

I would also like to meet Rupaul of Rupaul’s Drag Race, a famous tv series of drag queens and trans women, competing to see who is the best of the best.

My name is woman…
My name is woman who loves women
I am created in the image of human
Seek I not in hell nor heaven for
I exist only in the midst
of the haves and the have nots
of the world…

To define me, love is the word
All I ever practice was to love and needed to be loved…
Not to abused, extorted, raped
Today, I lay on the bed drowning in my tears of extortion
What happened to concern of my liberation?
Today I lay in a hospital bed, my body aches from being abused…
What happened to allowing me to explain instead of being wrongfully accused?

Today I lay in a coffin, dead being raped
I could no longer tolerate
I have been raped for being a woman
I have been raped in ”correction” of loving another woman
I have been raped over and over again by so many men once at a time and many a time…
I have been killed and dumped in trash cans, toilets, dump sites, you name it…
I have been buried with no justice served,
a case trial that comes to no conclusion

My name is woman
I am created in the image of human
Do not even try
To diverge me mind
From the truth it seeks
For itself it speaks
The only war I know is to protect
My loved ones and those you neglect
Why do you feel the sudden urge to engage me in your violent war
I wish not to know nor practice

This skill I was not naturally given
How is your sin deserving to be forgiven?
Why deem it fit to prove your manhood upon me?
Don’t u trust and know your value without enforcing it on me?

My name is woman who loves women
I AM created in the image of human
I am capable of bearing children
as I am of loving my own caliber
My soft skin is not for your rough hands
My beautiful body is not for your sexual trends
My healthy heart is not for you to hate

My lady lover is not for you to bait
My heart and hands are to love her
My body and belly are to feel her
My face and feet are to stand for her
My mouth and mind are to save her
If you too were to
focus on she who loves thee

You would be able to embrace
The blessing in your embrace
This is dedicated To the women that carry us,
cry for us,
care for us,
depend on us
defend us,
die for us,
LOVE, PEACE & HAPPINESS where you are…
Stay beautiful, brave and blessed!!!

© Lebo Mashifane
Aug.9, 2014

At the forefront of our struggle, at this time of sadness… Activists from Gay Umbrella leading the way to the sport grounds before the Memorial service of Disebo Gift Makau...

Angry community members demanding justice for Disebo…

On the right is Mr P.de Wit from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) waiting for the memorandum to be signed.

Jabu Perreira, director of Iranti-Org aiming for the best shot of the marchers.

Salute comrades…

Ayihlale phansi ibambe umthetho

Member of the Gay Umbrella in Mafikeng at the forefront of the march entering the sport grounds.

Sekwanele manje is a Zulu expression which means ‘Enough is enough…”

Malusi John Tau in a white t-shirt (centred) by fellow comrades leading the march to the Ventersdorp Police Station

Fed up community members holding placards with strong messages…

Mildred Maropefele, head of Gay Umbrella organisation in Mafikeng…

Even policemen can be documenters…

Councillor Mapule Mataboge signing the memorandum before it was handed over to the NPA representative
… with Thabiso from Gay Umbrella.

 Col. H. Vermeulen in charge of the march…

After the march the protesters proceeded to the Makau home where the prayer meeting was held…

Photos by Lindeka Qampi
Text by Odidi Mfenyana

A month  before in the same Centre for the Book, almost in the exact same spot as Zanele Muholi sat on Wednesday 20 August 2014 for the Debate on Homosexuality in Africa hosted by Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), stood the legendary Angela Davis.
Discussing the evolution of racism Angela Davis asked us to no longer be surprised by incidents of racism. Davis asked us to work steadfastly and comprehensively towards a non-racist society, knowing that racism exists n permeates our everyday existence.

Zanele Muholi a month later stood at the same place drawing attention to South Africa’s most fashionable hate crime of the moment “Corrective Rape”.

Not wanting to be drawn into an academic talk shop about the origins of African homosexuality, Muholi went for the jugular reality.

Zanele named all the high profile hate crimes since 2003 starting with the horrific mass murder at Sizzlers in Sea Point and ending with the recent gruesome rape and murder of Gift Makau in Ventersdorp.

No sooner had the “debate” come to its flaccid end when Muholi had my manager book me on the first flight to Jozi to join her covering the Memorial Service in Ventersdorp. It was time to roll up my sleeves n get stuck in.
Meeting at the boarding gate Thursday morning at 6am we landed n Muholi’s driver took us straight to Ventersdorp.

Ventersdorp already synonymous with racist White Supremacy n blighted by the legend of Eugene Terreblanche, now added the death of Disebo Gift Makau to its gothic accolades.

When we arrived at lunchtime Thursday, to my surprise a full media circus had rolled into town with the ruling party in full force of condemnation n indignation. ANC t-shirts were on almost every citizen. A new civil organisation under the Gay Umbrella was formed. A suspect had been apprehended. A union of Mothers of previously raped and murdered lesbians had come from Gauteng to lend support. Even CNN had come round for interviews.

The memorial service was more than well organised it was typical overreaction. Instead if homophobia, misogyny and poverty had been positively proactively been challenged, if previous cases had been properly investigated and successfully prosecuted we would not have been standing at another Memorial of a raped and murdered young woman in Women’s Month.

Again the LGBT community had to force its way onto the service’s programme after it seemed it was about to turn into an election rally.
“We want action! why must we still fight for rights”
Was the call from fellow women n lesbians
“we are tired of condemnation we want proactive action”

In Tshing, Ext. 2, Ventersdorp, people have grown tired of looking back in anger. People want a change for the better living the rights of our Constitution.

With that said it is time that Black Queer Artists take a stand and denounce the ongoing hate crimes in our townships. We need to produce work that focus mainly on these atrocities. We can’t rely on governmental mandates and foreign sympathy because it is WE (LGBTI community) who are being brutalized and murdered on daily basis.

Related article

2014 Aug. 19: Makau family mourns the brutal murder of their beloved

and

From Media24

Woman killed for being a lesbian – report

Lulama Rikhotso showing off her artwork…

Young photographers learning alternative artistic skills with Jammy-Lee…

Martha looking on…

Megan engaging with Ntombi…

Mthabiseni Mbhele & Thobekile Zwane doing it…

Thando Khumalo focusing on her portrait…

Where:  Wits University School of Arts

Who:  Young female photographers from Aurora Girls High School, Soweto, learning lithography offered by Megan Heilig and Jammy-Lee Brophy (both Fine Arts students at Wits…

Photos by Lindeka Qampi