Aids in my family

I always get nervous when the 1st of December nears. This is the time I take stock of the people I have lost to Aids. This year reached its record high. But I am proud to say two lives were saved and I was part of the rescue. People should not die of Aids. No this year. Almost a whole generation was wiped out by Aids. But now I can afford a smile and say that I have cousins that are on anti viral medication. They did not slip away like many more who have since died.

I saw the pain in some of them, I helped nurse others back to health in the hope we will have good times again. My hope was dashed and they succumbed to the pandemic. My family is like an amputee. Simply because we cannot replace the lives of Michael, Anna, Sipho and their children. Both sides of my family are reeling from the deaths.

The last two months have been difficult as the new cases of the same kind. Every time the phone rang we would look for each and wait for the brave one to accept the possible news of another loss. But it was not to be. We did not only cry for help, but we stood together and fought to save the lives of our family members. Like thirsty amputee, we crawled to the waters in the distance and quenched our thirst.

But Aids in my family remains a little demon in hidden in our midst waiting to pounce. I pray for good health every day. May the gods hear us. May God heed our call.

GOOD BYE FREEDOM OF SPEECH

We are counted down to one of the saddest times since the new dispensation in this country. A secrecy bill is about to be passed into law. That means journalists may never expose corruption by high profile people and politicians. Had this bill become law at the beginning of the year, South Africans would not have found out that former minister Sicelo Shiceka, abused public funds to pay for luxury hotels stays, limousine services and first-class air travel tickets while flying for personal reasons. This has led to widespread calls from opposition parties for his dismissal. We wouldn't know about Bheki Cele's alleged involvement in the multi-million rand lease scandal.

The government is displaying its arrogance by not listening to the need for transparency. Millions remain in poverty, while a few elite steal from public funds. And we are expected to sit quietly in our corner and turn a blind eye to this tragedy. It is sick

I will join many media practitioners, NGOs and other lobby groups in protest against the Secrecy Bill.

SA denies DRC gay man refuge

A Democratic Republic of Congo citizen is fighting a Home Affairs decision to refuse him asylum seeker status in South Africa. But, Charles Ngoy is not fleeing his country of birth because of war. He says he wants to live in South Africa because he's free to be openly gay, and wont be persecuted because of his Albinism.

Rights groups say he has a case, but Home Affairs say he doesn't qualify for refugee status.

Charles Ngoy is fleeing a war of a different kind....one of prejudice. He says he left the Democratic Republic of Congo because of persecution from being openly gay, and for being an albino. But Home Affairs has rejected his application for refugee status, and now Ngoy fears being deported.

"In DRC have never been arrested for my sexual orientation but i've been discriminated by Congolese people, by friends by family because that life is not an easy life. Also I'm facing double persecution because I'm an albino...
in Congo, if you are albino, and you are not protected by your family it's very difficult because not everyone in Congo likes albinos."
While Congo does not have any anti-gay laws, Ngoy says very few Congolese are openly gay. He also says that albinos suffer violence and victimisation in the central african country almost daily. Refugee Rights advocacy group Passop says while Ngoy is not fleeing political conflict, he does have a case. They say South African government could be putting his life at risk if they refuse to grant him asylum seeker status.

The case of Charles is not the exception, it's the norm. We're seeing more and more cases like this," David Von Durgsdorff Of Passop told the eNews Channel.

Extremely vulnerable, clearly having legitimate grounds for being refugee here being turned away.
Home Affairs says Ngoy can't prove he's suffered any violence or that he will be harmed if he returns.
The department says its decision is backed by the UN's criteria on determining Refugee Status.
Ngoy says he will appeal the decision.

30 years for David Kato Killer

A man who confessed to murdering a gay Ugandan activist by beating him with a hammer,
has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. Enock Nsubuga was sentenced by a High Court in Mukono, after admitting to have murdered David Kato. Kato, one of Uganda's most prominent gay campaigners, was badly beaten at his home,and died on the way to hospital.

Before he was murdered in January, Kato had been featured in a controversial newspaper, that had revealed the identity of homosexual individuals, and called on the government to take action against them. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. The country drew international contempt, when an anti-gay bill proposing the death penalty for homosexuals, was presented to parliament in October 2009.  

Technically the Ugandan government fueled hatred by suggesting the death penalty. Now a life is lost. I am sorry but 30 years in prison is not enough consolation for this hate crime. Nothing will replace the life of David Kato.

Tsvangirai is not a man of his word!

He should have stuck to his religious beliefs and slammed homosexuals in the BBC interview. He just U-turned and decided that gay rights are human rights. I do not believe a word he is saying. It is another stunt he wants to pull just before the elections. I do not blame the gay lobby groups in Zimbabwe who have welcomed his new stance on basic human rights for gay people in that country. When the situation is so desperate, just like in Zim, you can only accept any breathe of fresh air that comes your way.

But I urge everybody to welcome Morgan Tsvangirai's new stance on homosexuality with caution. If he is ever propelled to the seat of power in Zimbabwe this might just change. If it does not change, gay and lesbian People may not even be a priority for his government. I still believe that current president of South Africa is homophobic. Despite his sincere apology. He was about to become a president of a country that allowed same-sex marriages. There was so much to lose. He was pressured to apologise.

Malawi jailed two gay men. Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were facing imprisonment for loving each other. None of the African leaders who believe in human rights for all condemned this ridiculous conviction. It took Ban Ki-Moon to get those two human beings to be released and their conviction and sentence overturned. I believe in the sovereignty of our neighbouring countries. But any true advocate of human rights should always be ready to defend his cause.

And so I don't believe Tsvangirai is a man of his word! Finish and Klaar!

ANC finally grows some balls

South African politics are just the best in the continent. The ANC Youth League firebrand leader has been shown the door. Does this mean the of Julius Malema's political life? I shrug my shoulders without a clear answer. I also don't know if this is a case of Karma for Malema. He single-handedly unseated former President Thabo Mbeki. And now he is booted out.

Although it took them too long, the ANC has had enough with the young man. He was beginning to be a huge burden to the ruling party. It was once again demostrated that the ANC is way bigger than any individual. I reckon this is the best decision they have made in years. Congratulations ANC!