Sona 2023: Iranti Demands That Ramaphosa Commit Resources to LGBTQIA+ Community During National Address

• Iranti, a Johannesburg-based advocacy group, wants Cyril Ramaphosa to include the LGBTQIA+ community in this year's Sona
• Ramaphosa will address the nation on Thursday evening, 9 February and outline the government objectives for 2023
• Iranti wants the president to deploy resources that will bring an end to discrimination and violence against LGBTQIA+ people

JOHANNESBURG - An LGBTQIA+ media advocacy group Iranti has demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa address the often marginalised community in his highly anticipated State of the Nation Address (Sona).

Ramaposa will take the stage at Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening, 9 February, to fill South Africans in on the challenges and success of 2022 and map out government objectives for 2023.

Iranti demands more resources to bring an end to violence and discrimination

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In this year's address, Iranti wants Ramaphosa to include the LGBTQIA+ community in the Sona's 2023 objectives. The organisation has demanded the president commit state officials and resources to end the discrimination and violence against people in the LGBTQIA+ community.

According to a press release issued by the organisation, the discrimination faced by LGBTQIA+ people includes issues around Legal Gender Recognition and Intersex Genital Mutilation.

Iranti has demanded more inclusive laws allowing transgender and non-binary people to change their assigned gender on their ID documents. The advocacy group has also called for an end to the non-consensual and medically unnecessary practice of subjecting intersex infants to sexual "corrective surgeries".

Ramaphosa has made efforts, but the LGBTQIA+ community needs more

The organisation has acknowledged that Ramaphosa has made efforts to address the LBGTQIA+ community's needs, but there is still more that can be done, and the community needs the help of the highest office in South Africa, EWN reported.

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Inrati declared:

"We want to be included. We want our voices heard. We want to be addressed as part of South Africa"

Iranti won't stop pressuring Ramaphosa until its demands are met

This is not the first time Iranti has demanded that the LGBTQIA+ community be included in the SONA, but the organisation's request in 2022 fell on deaf ears.

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Iranti's Communications and Media Manager, Nolwazi Tusini, said the organisation would keep going even if Ramaphosa ignored its request again this year.

Tusini vowed the Queer Sona campaign would continue every year until resources were made available and Iranti's demands were met.

Tusini added:

"As a human rights organisation, we do this work every day. This is why we exist. So on a day-to-day basis, we are constantly and consistently trying to engage the Department of Home Affairs on Legal Gender Recognition and the Department of Health on Intersex Genital Mutilation, and we will continue to do that work tirelessly.

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Iranti's demands for the Sona divide South Africans

This is what South Africans are saying about Iranti's demands

@warrenfer1 said:

"Fair enough, but we'd all like to be heard, they're ignoring everyone."

@Manny_867 claimed:

"Lol, The alphabet gang has started. Ey, there are more pressing issues right now."

@HASSANK25430768 celebrated:

"Brilliant ...well said."

@gamelas commented

"Your arrogance makes you unpopular. Everybody will be addressed not just some."

@DijonHarrington added

"Maybe they want to be included because this comment section is the perfect example of the way they’re treated around here? you’re all a bunch of hillbillies."

MPs warned against sabotaging Ramaphosa’s Sona after EFF and NFP vowed to cause commotion doing the address

In a related story, Briefly News reported that parliament's presiding officers had some stern words for MPs who plan on interrupting President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, 9 February.

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Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lechesa Tsenoli warned MPs that they are expected to follow the rules and parliamentary code of conduct during the address, SABC News reported.

Though the stern warning has been issued, there is no indication that opposition parties that have already vowed to cause a commotion will heed Tsenoli's instructions.

Source: Briefly News