by Lesego Tlhwale

As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence draws to an end, the plight of Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people in South Africa continues and the fight to eradicate hate crimes carries on for many grassroots LGBTI organisations in townships.

Tomorrow on 10^th of December 2013, Ihawu a lesbian organization in Kathorus  and allies will be attending the second court hearing of the late Duduzile Zozo, a 26 year old black lesbian who was murdered on the 30^th June 2013 in Thokoza township.

Ihawu has been following the Zozo case very closely since she was murdered. They carried out several protests to push for the diligent investigation of the murder of Zozo and other lesbians who have been killed in and around Thokoza.

Their effortless work did not go unnoticed as the police in Thokoza on 18^th October 2013 arrested Lekgoa Lesley Motleleng (22) in connection with the murder.

The arrest happened after several suspects were arrested for questioning and released. However, Motleleng was detained after it was believed that he had an involvement in the murder of Zozo.

Following the arrest, Motleleng appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate court on 21^st  October 2013 and has been in police custody since then as he declined to apply for bail.

According to reports, the suspect was one of the mourners who attended a night vigil the night before Zozo’s burial and offered comfort and condolences to the family.

Thuziwe Zozo, Duduzile’s mother told the media that, “she was shocked that the man accused of killing her daughter was someone they both knew, who lived near their home.”

“He’s like my neighbour,” said Zozo. “So how can it be he that did this? my neighbour. Like Dudu’s friend, Dudu’s brother. I wasn’t expecting that it was somebody here in my area.”

The shock experienced by the Zozo’s family is not as shocking for many families who have gone through the same ordeal. A lot of the Lesbians who have been victims of hate crimes were raped and murdered by people who they perceived brothers, uncles, friends, and neighbours.

One recent case is that of Millicent Gaika, a lesbian woman from Gugulethu who was brutally bartered and raped by Andile Ngcoza a man she knew from the community she lived in.

Ngcoza pulled Gaika into a shack on 2^nd April 2010 and said he would show her she was a woman by impregnating her. He then tortured and raped her for five hours and left her to die.

“I thought he was going to kill me; he was like an animal,” Gaika said after the attack. “He kept saying: ‘I know you are a lesbian. You are not a man, you think you are, but I am going to show you, you are a woman. I am going to make you pregnant. I am going to kill you’.

After being on the run since 2011 Ngcoza was recaptured and sentenced to 22 years in jail for the attack of Gaika on 26^th November 2013 at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.

Dudizile Zozo second court hearing will be held at the Palm Ridge Magistrate court and proceedings are as set to start at 8am.

Related articles on Duduzile Zozo’s murder, memorial and funeral

2013 July 30: 30 Days later no arrests yet for Duduzile Zozo’s murder

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2013 July 13: Picturing Duduzile Zozo’s funeral

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2013 July 10: Chaotic memorial service for Duduzile

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2013 July 10: Photos from Duduzile Zozo’s memorial service

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2013 July 10: When brutally killed, Dudu was stripped every ounce of her dignity

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2013 July 3: Another brutal murder of a lesbian

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2013 July 3: Another fucked up case

Previous by Lesego

2013 Sept. 15: Lack of SA Queer History knowledge at the Miss & Mr Gay Daveyton