'Remorseless' killers get 18 years for murdering gay woman

[tabatha]

Four men were jailed for 18 years each by a Cape Town court on Wednesday for stabbing and stoning 19-year-old lesbian Zoliswa Nkonyana to death in 2006.

Magistrate Raadiyah Wathen sentenced Lubabalo Ntlabathi, Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Londzi, and Mbulelo Damba in the Khayelitsha Regional Court to 18 years each. Four years of their sentences were suspended for five years.

A crowd outside the court cheered, sang, raised their fists and danced when news came that the men had been sentenced.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the sentence sent a strong message that hate crimes would not be tolerated.

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-02-01-remorseless-lesbian-killers-get-18-years

(See video in next post)

[tabatha]

1. 'We'll show you you're a woman'

Human Rights Watch released a report on the violence that underprivileged, black lesbians and trans men face on a day to day basis. In May, the justice department established a task team to address these issues, but just how effective can and will this team be?

http://mg.co.za/multimedia/2011-12-06-well-show-you-youre-a-woman