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Triple 7 members bay for blood of Simelane 'killers'

emotional: Triple 7 Campaign to End Hate Against Lesbians and Gays spokesman Phumi Mtetwa, wearing spectacles, addresses journalists outside the Springs magistrates' court yesterday. Pic. Dan Fuphe. 05/05/08. © Sowetan.
emotional: Triple 7 Campaign to End Hate Against Lesbians and Gays spokesman Phumi Mtetwa, wearing spectacles, addresses journalists outside the Springs magistrates' court yesterday. Pic. Dan Fuphe. 05/05/08. © Sowetan.

Dan Fuphe

Dan Fuphe

About 200 members of the Triple 7 Campaign To End Hate Against Lesbians and Gays yesterday gathered outside the Springs magistrates' court where five men are accused of the brutal rape and murder of former Banyana Banyana football player Eudy Simelane.

The five include a former convict and an 18-year-old grade 10 pupil from a prominent but undisclosed high school in KwaThema, Ekurhuleni.

The court refused to grant them bail and postponed the case to May 13. They were not asked to plead.

Self-confessed lesbian Simelane was repeatedly gang-raped before being stabbed more than 20 times and her body dumped near the KwaThema Hostel a week ago. It was discovered by a passer-by who alerted the police.

The mood outside the court on the Welgedacht Road was tense and emotional yesterday, with grieving Triple 7 members baying for the blood of the accused.

Addressing journalists outside the court, Triple 7 spokesman Phumi Mtetwa said: "We need to challenge society to embrace our democracy and the Bill of Rights embodied in the Constitution."

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