SANDTON CELEBRATES 25TH JOHANNESBURG PRIDE
Revellers at Saturday’s Johannesburg Pride (Pic: Joffree Hyman)
The 25th annual Johannesburg Pride took place in Sandton on Saturday.
Hundreds of people participated in a “celebratory parade” through the streets of the city’s booming business hub.
Festivities were then held until the early evening at Mushroom Farm Park, where the crowd was entertained by performers and DJs.
The event saw an increase in attendance compared to last year, the first time the event was held in Sandton.
This year’s theme was “I am human,” which organisers said aimed to highlight both the challenges facing the LGBTI community and the strides made in human rights for all.
“We had a very diverse crowd. It was a lovely turnout,” Johannesburg Pride Committee Chair Kaye Ally told Mambaonline.
“The parade was a lot more active and visible than last year. By the end of day we had a packed-out Mushroom Farm Park,” she said.
Ally revealed that the event got off to a shaky start before the gates opened when a group of residents intervened and attempted to shut down the event.
“They don’t want Pride in the area and the ward councillor didn’t support us,” she stated. Ally said that the required documentation was presented to the group and the event went ahead as planned.
Ally said that sponsors have remained wary of backing Johannesburg Pride following the controversy around the One in Nine protest at Joburg Pride 2012. She commented that the event is still seen as a high risk one by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department because of the skirmishes that followed.
The event also remains contentious, with some activists claiming that it does not address issues facing ordinary LGBTI people and is inaccessible and too expensive to attend for many. The organisers have denied the accusations.
Ally told Mambaonline that the committee would hold a public AGM before the end of year. She was not able to confirm the venue for Pride 2015, but insisted that Sandton is “extremely accessible.” She added that if some of the residents don’t want Pride in the area “that’s maybe a good reason to stay there.”
See more pictures of Johannesburg Pride 2014 below.
Sponsors have been very wary, and the ward Councillor maybe didn’t want to back the committee because of last year [edited]. [Claims] of unpaid suppliers from previous articles, promises of AGMs and community inclusion in the decision making process. From 15000 to 500… where did the rest of the people go? We are still waiting for the financials from last year. Hell I have more gay people living in my ward. No this shows us again… promises without delivery, successfully dividing a community, and undoing the respect that the previous years’ activism have brought. Are we as a gay community going to stand for this. And is the Pride Committee going to refund disgruntled people who paid for VIP. The divide on social media is clear. Do we want this for our community?
Classic Kaye, “I was attacked”, “The Sandton Community is homophobic”, “The Ward Councillor didn’t back us”, “Suppliers pulled out at the last minute” – Any substance to these claims in the media?
It’s a complete farce. I guess the community has got what it deserves…. Viva LGBTIQA Viva!
Is this the same mushroom park that is about the size of a tennis court and can fit according to my brief estimate about 1000 people? Should pride not be run by at least one representative from every “denomination”? i.e. a successful gay business man, a successful lesbian business owner…? At the moment it seems to be a man who identifies as straight, an unemployed lesbian, and a trans-woman. Simone after all you have done for this community why identify with these people. I don’t understand it at all. If I google Simone I get all these wonderful things she has done, when I google the others “Named in straight record article” the others don’t feature, and the only thing about Kaye is conflicting arguments. I don’t know. Think I will be tendering my services at one of the other smaller prides who actually gives a damn about the community.