Hate crime in our society will not be tolerated: Ramaphosa
Delivering the annual Freedom Day address, the President issued this message about homophobia and intolerance against the LGBTQI community.
"Nobody has the right to take the life and abuse someone else because of their sexual orientation. No one has the right at all."
His comment comes after a series of violent attacks over the few months including here in KZN.
Just last month - an openly gay man Sphamandla Khoza was stabbed multiple times in an attack apparently fuelled by his sexuality.
The man who killed LGBTQI+ activist Lindokuhle Cele in February last year is serving 25-years in prison.
NOW READ: LGBTQI+ group demands no bail for Sphamandla Khoza's murder suspect
Ramaphosa - who was observing Freedom Day yesterday - says any forms of hate crimes will not be tolerated.
He says as a nation we should be deeply ashamed of this. "I want to send a strong message that hate crime will not be tolerated in our society and that those who are behind these crimes will be found and brought to book.”
READ: Lindokuhle Cele's killer sentenced
“After 27 years we are still striving to be a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it – be they black or white, man or woman, rural dweller or urban dweller, able-bodied or living with disability, regardless of their beliefs, their language or their sexual orientation,” he adds.
