Durban - The 33rd Johannesburg Pride March and Pride Africa Celebrations will go ahead as planned. The event is set to take place on Saturday at Rivonia Road in Sandton Central from 10am.
This is the message from the event’s organisers following an alert of a possible terror attack planned for Sandton this weekend.
In a statement, chairperson of Johannesburg Pride, Kaye Ally, said the celebrations will go ahead thanks to their team, private security, the private Security of Sandton Precinct and the authorities.
It was touch and go for a moment following the alert issued by the US embassy on Wednesday.
IOL reported that an alert had been issued of a possible terror attack in Sandton.
The embassy said it had received information that terrorists may be planning to conduct an attack targeting large gatherings of people at an unspecified location in the greater Sandton area of Joburg on October 29.
The embassy added that it had no further information about the timing, method or target of the potential attack.
“We have spent the last 24 hours assessing the situation, consulting with authorities and managing the situation as a whole from a planning stand point and we have learnt that there are a number of large public events taking place in the surrounding areas. From a South African perspective, we believe that all lives matter. Johannesburg Pride has not been directly threatened, nor have we received any communication from outside parties other than what the media assumed via the US Embassy’s website,” Ally said.
Ally said event organisers had consulted with the various entities and at this point, postponing pride is hard, proceeding with pride is hard and deciding whether or not to attend is a hard decision.
“We urge you to remember the essence of why pride began. It was, for all intents and purposes, a protest action. We as a continent have a very marginalised LGBTQ+ community. We live under constant attack, and there is constant fear of being arrested in 33 of 54 countries. Countries where LGBT@+ people are criminalised.
“Despite our constitutional rights, we are marginalised in South Africa. The threat has provided an opportunity for homophobes to emerge, inciting a series of homophobic comments directed at Pride and our LGBTQ+ community and the reason for our existence.
“We must remember that it is critical for us to occupy the space we intend to occupy on October 29, that we take to the streets, and that we assert our visibility,” Ally said.
Ally urged the LGBTQ+ community to establish their presence and demonstrate their strength as a united community.
“Coming together as an LGBTQ+ community in Africa, South Africa and Joburg. Remember, our pride began as a defiant campaign and we will not be subjected to any threats based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This is precisely why we take to the streets and march.
“We must assert our right to exist once more. We must maintain our freedom of movement and freedom of expression.
“We are confident that the 33rd Johannesburg Pride March and Pride of Africa Celebrations can go ahead as planned thanks to our team, private security, the private security of Sandton Precinct and the authorities. We appreciate your patience during this difficult time #WEWILLMARCH,” Ally said.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said it was unfortunate that the embassy released an alert without speaking to local government.
“It is quite unfortunate the US issued that type of warning without having any type of discussion with us,” he said, during a press conference.
“Any form of alert will come from the government of the Republic of South Africa and it is unfortunate that another government should issue such a threat as to send panic among our people,” said Ramaphosa.
IOL