Xingwana visits site of another lesbian killing

Emotions ran high during a visit by Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana in Thokoza yesterday.

Residents screamed and shouted outside the home where Xingwana met with the family of 26-year-old Duduzile Zozo .

Zozo is the latest victim in hate crimes against gays and lesbians in the area. She was found lying dead in her neighbour's yard last month.

Zozo had been raped and beaten .

Her death follows those of Nokuthula Radebe and Frankie Twala, who were killed in the East Rand township in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Bianca Laban, who was friends with all three victims, said a group of men had told her yesterday that they were going to finish off gays and lesbians.

"They know they can get away with murder," Laban said.

Xingwana's visit coincided with Orange Day - a campaign to end violence against women held on the 25th of every month.

Laban criticised the minister for her "sudden change of heart" following an incident in 2010 when she made headlines for calling an exhibition of a nude lesbian couple "immoral".

Xingwana has called for life sentences for men who rape and kill women. But Zozo's mother, Thuziwe, feared no justice would be served, saying police had not kept her in the loop. "The last time I saw them was before Dudu's funeral. I don't even know who the investigating officer is ."

Xingwana received a briefing from station commander Colonel Nkoane Baloyi.

"A number of suspects had been arrested but the evidence did not point to them," she said.