By: Kabelo Mhlambiso
Gays and lesbians from outside South Africa who stay in the country say they fear double stigmatisation and violence in the wake of xenophobic threats that after the 2010 FIFA World Cup all foreigners would be sent packing.
Hugo Withakenge Murphy 31, a bisexual man from the Democratic Republic of Congo who stays in Johannesburg CBD, says even though he has only faced minor cases of hate speech particularly when using public transport, he fears that one day he may speak the wrong language at a wrong place.
“I feel that people like us who stay in urban areas do no face half the issues of xenophobia and homophobia like our brothers and sisters who stay in townships. But you never know who you may piss off just by speaking your home language.”
Meanwhile *Sipho Mvelase a gay man who is a South African citizen says xenophobic attacks of 2009 cost him his 2 year relationship since his ex partner, originally from Zimbabwe, left him fearing for his life.
“He told me that he does not trust any South African and that he feels really unsafe around me. He was even reluctant to be seen with me in public since I am noticeably gay, fearing that he will suffer attacks both for being a foreigner and for being a homosexual. Having seen the images in the media of foreign people being burnt to death, he left me for good.”
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