Powa claims former envoy Jon Qwelane may have fuelled homosexual attacks
Hate speech by former ambassador to Uganda Jon Qwelane’s may have fuelled attacks on homosexuals, according to People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa) executive director Nonhlanhla Mokwena. She said this in Qwelane’s hate-speech hearing in the Johannesburg High Court. Qwelane went to hospital recently‚ and was not in court. The South African Human Rights Commission approached the court after Qwelane failed to apologise for his 2008 Sunday Sun column titled‚ "Call me names‚ but Gay is NOT okay". In the column, Qwelane suggested that the constitution’s acceptance of gay marriage would lead to "some idiot [demanding] to marry an animal". He endorsed Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s views on homosexuality. Powa was one of the 350 complainants that took issue with Qwelane’s column at the commission‚ which found its language amounted to hate speech. Mokwena told the court that she believed Qwelane’s column‚ which called homosexuality a lifestyle‚ incited violence as it fuelled the stigma and...
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