Nomsa Buthelezi on experiencing GBV: 'Women must fight when they are facing death'

Actress Nomsa Buthelezi says her heart bleeds for the femicide pandemic that South African women face.

With the murders of several women dominating headlines over the last two weeks, Nomsa told TshisaLIVE that many in the LGBTIQ+ community were targeted because of their sexuality.

She recounted her own experience of abuse, adding that women in SA feared for their lives every day.

“When I came out of the closet, many men were against me. They wanted to know why I was dating women,” she said.

“There's a guy that I grew up with who told me people were talking about my sexuality. They said if their mentor was still alive, he would have insulted the lesbian out of me and I would be straight again.

“My heart is still bleeding from that incident. They never said sorry.”

Nomsa encouraged South African women, especially celebrities, to speak out and reveal any abusers in their lives. She said by doing so they will be saving many women that are following them on social media.

Sis encouraged women to report abuse to the police and to expose their abusers. She recalled another incident when a men threw a bottle at her leg, leaving her bleeding and angry. She took him to the police station to be arrested.

“When I dragged the guy who assaulted me to the police station, it was not a joke. The police had no choice but to arrest him because I brought him myself and I instructed the police to arrest him immediately.”

Nomsa acknowledged that not every woman gets the opportunity to bring their abuser to police - and many did not make it out alive.

“Women must fight when they are facing death. It’s not easy to fight a man, but you can’t die without a fight.”