Media Advisory

The National Task Team Commits to urgent action against recent incidents aimed at regressing SOGIESC Rights implementation

13 October 2025

The National Task Team (NTT) on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) convened its quarterly meeting on 6 October 2025.

The NTT SOGIESC was co-chaired by the Deputy Director-General for Constitutional Development, Adv. Shireen Said, as the representative of the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Andries Nel, and the unanimously elected Civil Society Organisation co-chairperson, Mr Sibonelo Ncanana-Trower.

Sibonelo Ncanana-Trower is the Human Rights Coordinator at OUT LGBT Well-being and has led national and provincial advocacy on hate crimes, legal protections, and access to justice and is a also founding director of Izibuko Zethu, a nonprofit that connects communities and government structures, equips queer youth with leadership and employment skills, and builds inclusive futures under the banner “Connecting Communities – Building Futures.” His activism has always linked health, dignity, and justice - ensuring that LGBTQIA+ persons have meaningful access to life-saving services.

In welcoming the new co-chairperson, tribute was paid to the outgoing co-chairperson, Ms Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, who was in attendance and whose unwavering courage, fierce advocacy and dedicated leadership took the work of the National Task Team to new heights and who carved out safer and more inclusive spaces for the LGBTIQA+ community in our country.

Both the previous and the new co-chairpersons highlight the very fundamental role of civil society in the area of SOGIESC rights and why this partnership between civil society and government is such an important and vital one.

The NTT SOGIESC is a vital multi-sectoral partnership between government and civil society. Established in 2011, the NTT’s initial mandate was to address gender and sexual orientation-based violence against persons of diverse SOGIESC.

The NTT’s mandate has since expanded to prevent and combat all human rights violations, discrimination, and barriers to equality experienced by persons of diverse SOGIESC in South Africa by way of the implementation of the NTT’s National Intervention Strategy (NIS). There are also Provincial Task Teams in each province.

Government departments, Chapter 9 institutions, and civil society organisations also monitor hate crime cases through the NTT’s Rapid Response Team.

The NTT meeting resulted in firm commitments to accelerate legislative implementation, particularly the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act, to strengthen provincial structures for a more coordinated implementation of the NIS and to provide an immediate response to recent incidents of anti-SOGIESC rights, discrimination and hate speech.

Within the ambit of the Constitution that provides for the right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination on various grounds, including gender, sex, and sexual orientation and in upholding the constitutional values, the NTT Plenary addressed a recent public incident of discrimination targeting the SOGIESC community.

The incident relates to hateful and homophobic remarks recently made by Ngizwe Mchunu. South Africa is a constitutional democracy and all persons, including the SOGIESC community, have equal rights to exercise their cultural practices. The right to equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms. The right to one’s culture cannot infringe the rights of persons of diverse SOGIESC to their human dignity. Moreover, no one person or group holds the monopoly of who qualifies to enjoy cultural practices. Violence, or threats of violence - of any form, including verbal assault - is intolerable in an open and democratic society and is to be condemned in the strongest terms.

The NTT further commends the stance taken by the management of Kwa Mai-Mai Traditional Market as South Africans upholding the values of the Constitution and showing their commitment to human rights, dignity and equality. Appreciation is also expressed to the South African Police Service for the efficient response to responding to the situation.

The NTT will be reaching out to the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities and the National House of Traditional Leaders to further engage on and reconcile matters of cultural practices and constitutional protections.

The NTT remains committed to ensuring that the rights of persons of diverse SOGIESC are protected and promoted.

Media Enquiries: Ms Kgalalelo Masibi, Chief Director: Communication Management – 065 747 0323

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA