Justice for Lindo: Address homophobia during SONA, Mr President

Issued by Mbali Ntuli MPL – DA Umlazi Constituency Head
13 Feb 2020 in Press Statements

The community of Umlazi and the LGBTQI community of KZN was rocked this week following the death of Lindo Cele.

Cele had been trying to help a female friend to hide from an alleged well known rapist.

Community members who witnessed the murder of Lindo were said to have heard the alleged killer shouting homophobic slurs to Lindo. He shouted how he would make sure that he ruined Lindo’s face so he couldn’t act like a “pretty boy” anymore. A stabbing followed that led to Lindo’s death.

This suspect is alleged to have committed other rapes and violent crimes in the community and because he always seemed to escape the justice system many people standing nearby were scared to intervene in case he came after them.

Visiting the family this week it was heartbreaking to hear how Lindo’s death has not only robbed a family of a wonderful child but certainly has made any queer person in the community afraid to live their truth.

Today during SONA we need the highest leader in the land to come out strongly against homophobia and bigotry towards members of the LGBTQI community.

Our entire Constitution is founded with the preamble of being just, where everybody can live and love whoever they want.

We need the president to speak out and get justice for Lindo and every other queer person in this country.

We need you, Mr. President, to reinstate the National Task Team on Gender and Sexual Orientation-based Violence Perpetrated against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Persons.

Lindo Cele represented the best of us, we offer our condolences to his family and we should all take up the mantle of protecting those amongst us who have been made most vulnerable by bigotry.