Hold Up…
“The trial of nine men accused of murdering a young lesbian more than two years ago has been postponed because one of the accused now wants a new attorney… Zoliswa Nkonyana, 18, was kicked, beaten and stabbed to death by a mob of about 20 young men in Khayelitsha in February 2006, allegedly because of her sexual orientation. Only nine of her alleged killers have been arrested.” [Cape Times]
Hmmm, that might contradict the Gay Out Travel writers who vouch for how gay-friendly Cape Town is…. Not!
This didn’t happen in Cape Town per se. It happened in one of the high crime suburbs – what Americans would call a “ghetto” and South Africans would call a “township” – surrounding Cape Town.
I’ve been to Cape Town on holiday. It is a beautiful city. And as far as the tourism industry is concerned, everyone seems very gay friendly. Nobody raised an eyebrow when I asked about gay nightlife. Indeed, most of the South Africans I encountered – black and white – were quite gracious. However, since much of my interactions were limited to the employed middle-class, I can’t vouch for living conditions inside the townships.
Violent crime is epidemic in South Africa. And I imagine the townships are responsible for the lion’s share of the grief.