Saturday’s third Johannesburg’s People’s Pride event received support from what some might consider a rather surprising quarter – the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

The EFF said it welcomed and supported the event because it recognised that all forms of oppression mattered.

“Black people in this country are oppressed on many levels: they are landless‚ poor‚ unemployed and are constantly discriminated against based on their sexual orientation and identity‚ amongst others. At the centre of this sexual violence in this country‚ is the plight of lesbian women who continue to be raped as means to ‘correct’ their sexuality‚” the EFF said in a statement.

 These and other victims of violence based on sexual identity received hostile treatment when they sought help from the police and healthcare workers‚ it added.

“Our society‚ organisations and institutions form part of the daily violence against victims of sexual abuse‚” it stated.

The party said its support of the Joburg People’s Pride was “further informed by the EFF Founding Manifesto which states that we are ‘against the oppression of anyone based on their gender‚ gender expression‚ or sexual orientation’‚ meaning that we are against patriarchy‚ sexism‚ and homophobia in all of its manifestations.”

“We recognise that black gender non-conforming people are further marginalised within the economy as it relates to job‚ entrepreneurial and educational opportunities. The EFF’s call for economic freedom in our lifetime must therefore be understood to also mean economic freedom for those who are marginalised on the basis of their sexual identity‚” the EFF asserted.

It added that economic freedom would never be complete and that it was “incomprehensible without the equal emancipation of all who are oppressed on the basis of sexual orientation and identity”.

“To build a human world is to protect the most human thing in all of us‚ and that is freedom. Society must protect and embrace the freedom of all to choose their sexual identity and orientation‚” the party stated.

Far less surprisingly‚ the event was also endorsed by Oxfam South Africa‚ which said it supported the initiative as it brought to light the structural discrimination and violence affecting the marginalised poor in the country‚ and all those oppressed through “heteronormative patriarchy‚ white-supremacy and capitalism that breeds inequality”.

“In South Africa today‚ ordinary people do not have full autonomy over their lives and bodies. They do not enjoy freedom from violence and social‚ economic and political participation. They are denied equality and dignity. Inequality is one of the biggest challenges of our society which continues unabated despite the Constitution affirming Equality for all. We live in a country so wealthy and yet so unequal‚ where two men own the same wealth as the bottom half of the population‚” the organisation asserted.

 The EFF said it welcomed and supported the event because it recognised that all forms of oppression mattered.

“Black people in this country are oppressed on many levels: they are landless‚ poor‚ unemployed and are constantly discriminated against based on their sexual orientation and identity‚ amongst others. At the centre of this sexual violence in this country‚ is the plight of lesbian women who continue to be raped as means to ‘correct’ their sexuality‚” the EFF said in a statement.

These and other victims of violence based on sexual identity received hostile treatment when they sought help from the police and healthcare workers‚ it added.

“Our society‚ organisations and institutions form part of the daily violence against victims of sexual abuse‚” it stated.

The party said its support of the Joburg People’s Pride was “further informed by the EFF Founding Manifesto which states that we are ‘against the oppression of anyone based on their gender‚ gender expression‚ or sexual orientation’‚ meaning that we are against patriarchy‚ sexism‚ and homophobia in all of its manifestations.”

“We recognise that black gender non-conforming people are further marginalised within the economy as it relates to job‚ entrepreneurial and educational opportunities. The EFF’s call for economic freedom in our lifetime must therefore be understood to also mean economic freedom for those who are marginalised on the basis of their sexual identity‚” the EFF asserted.

It added that economic freedom would never be complete and that it was “incomprehensible without the equal emancipation of all who are oppressed on the basis of sexual orientation and identity”.

“To build a human world is to protect the most human thing in all of us‚ and that is freedom. Society must protect and embrace the freedom of all to choose their sexual identity and orientation‚” the party stated.

Far less surprisingly‚ the event was also endorsed by Oxfam South Africa‚ which said it supported the initiative as it brought to light the structural discrimination and violence affecting the marginalised poor in the country‚ and all those oppressed through “heteronormative patriarchy‚ white-supremacy and capitalism that breeds inequality”.

“In South Africa today‚ ordinary people do not have full autonomy over their lives and bodies. They do not enjoy freedom from violence and social‚ economic and political participation. They are denied equality and dignity. Inequality is one of the biggest challenges of our society which continues unabated despite the Constitution affirming Equality for all. We live in a country so wealthy and yet so unequal‚ where two men own the same wealth as the bottom half of the population‚” the organisation asserted.