SANDTON CELEBRATES 25TH JOHANNESBURG PRIDE

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 theOne 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.”