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South Africa: 07/07/07 Campaign holds Ceremony to Commemorate Murdered Lesbians
07/10/2009

On July 7, 2009, members of the 07/07/07 Campaign to end hate crimes against LGBT South Africans gathered to commemorate the second anniversary of the murders of two lesbians: Sizakele Sigasa and Salome Masooa. The women were murdered, execution style, on July 7, 2007, and their bodies were later found in a field in Meadowlands, Soweto.

This week’s event, also in Meadowlands, involved planting a tree to honor the memory of Sizakele and Salome and the unveiling of a bench by Salome's mother. Various activists and friends of the two women spoke at the event. IGLHRC's Africa Program Coordinator Monica Mbaru condemned the deaths of Sizakele and Salome. She also commended members of the 07/07/07 campaign on their fight against hated, noting that their activism was inspiring for LGBT people in other African countries, where such an event would not be possible because of criminal laws and social rejection.

South African activists attending the event reiterated their commitment to the struggle to end discrimination and violence against LGBTI people and their demand for justice for Sizakele and Salome, whose cases remain unresolved.

Click here to read more about this story at Behind the Mask. The “Outspoken” show on South African Radio Today will also cover the story as part of its July 13 programming. The podcast will be posted here after July 13.