LGBT Activist and Politician Banyana Thobeka Hlutamo Dies in South Africa

South African LGBT activist and public figure Banyana Thobeka Hlutamo passed away on May 5 at the age of 45 after a brief illness. This was reported by representatives of South African public organizations.

Hlutamo was born on November 1, 1980, in Tembisa, Gauteng province. While still in school, she participated in the student representative council and later joined the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). In 2009, she became the first woman to serve as a zonal secretary for one of the ANC youth structures.

Within South African political movements, she advocated for the inclusion of LGBT issues in the political agenda. At the ANC Women’s League National Lekgotla in 2018, Hlutamo pushed for the integration of LGBT rights into the organization’s program of action.

In 2017, Hlutamo co-founded the Embrace Diversity Movement (EDM), where she served as Deputy Secretary-General. The organization aimed to promote inclusivity and the representation of LGBT people within the African National Congress and other democratic movements. EDM representatives stated that Hlutamo’s death is a loss for the entire human rights sector in South Africa.

Hlutamo also worked with the Gauteng Legislature’s LGBT Sectoral Parliament, collaborated with the SANAC Civil Society Forum, and local pride organizations, including Ekurhuleni Pride and Tembisa Pride.

Condolences regarding her death were expressed by activists, politicians, and related organizations across the country. ANC Member of Parliament Palomina Jama dedicated her maiden speech in parliament to Hlutamo. Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike described Hlutamo as a “proud queer woman and an incredibly dedicated public figure.”

A memorial service was held on May 13 in Tembisa.