Simon Nkoli
Encyclopedia
Simon Tseko Nkoli was an anti-apartheid
, gay rights and AIDS
activist in South Africa
.
Nkoli was born in Soweto
in a seSotho-speaking family. He grew up on a farm in the Free State and his family later moved to Sebokeng. Nkoli became a youth activist against apartheid, with the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and with the United Democratic Front
.
In 1983, he joined the mainly white Gay Association of South Africa, then he formed the Saturday Group, the first black gay group in Africa.
Nkoli spoke at rallies in support of rent-boycotts in the Vaal townships and in 1984 he was arrested and faced the death penalty for treason
with twenty-one other political leaders in the Delmas Treason Trial
, including Popo Molefe
and Patrick Lekota, collectively known as the Delmas 22. By coming out
while a prisoner, he helped change the attitude of the African National Congress
to gay rights. He was acquitted and released from prison in 1988.
He founded the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand
in 1988. He traveled widely and was given several human rights awards in Europe and North America. He was a member of International Lesbian and Gay Association
board, representing the African region.
He was one of the first gay activists to meet with President Nelson Mandela
in 1994. He helped in the campaign for the inclusion of protection from discrimination in the Bill of Rights in the 1994 South African constitution
and for the repeal of the sodomy law, which happened in May 1998 in his last months.
After becoming one of the first publicly HIV-positive African gay men, he initiated the Positive African Men group based in central Johannesburg
. He had been infected with HIV for around 12 years, and had been seriously ill, on and off, for the last four. He died of AIDS
in 1998 in Johannesburg
.
There is a Simon Nkoli Street in Amsterdam
and a Simon Nkoli Day in San Francisco. He opened the first Gay Games
in New York and was made a freeman
of that city by mayor David Dinkins
. In 1996 Nkoli was given the Stonewall Award in the Royal Albert Hall
in London
. Canadian filmmaker John Greyson
made a short film about Nkoli titled A Moffie Called Simon in 1987. Nkoli was the subject of Robert Colman's 2003 play, "Your Loving Simon" and Beverley Ditsie's 2002 film "Simon & I".
John Greyson's 2009 film Fig Trees, a hybrid documentary/opera includes reference to Nkoli's activism.
Internal resistance to South African apartheid
Internal resistance to the apartheid system in South Africa came from several sectors of society and saw the creation of organisations dedicated variously to peaceful protests, passive resistance and armed insurrection. It came from both black activists like Steve Biko and Desmond Tutu as well as...
, gay rights and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
activist in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Nkoli was born in Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
in a seSotho-speaking family. He grew up on a farm in the Free State and his family later moved to Sebokeng. Nkoli became a youth activist against apartheid, with the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and with the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (South Africa)
The United Democratic Front was one of the most important anti-apartheid organisations of the 1980s. The non-racial coalition of about 400 civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations was formed in 1983, initially to fight the just-introduced idea of the Tricameral Parliament The...
.
In 1983, he joined the mainly white Gay Association of South Africa, then he formed the Saturday Group, the first black gay group in Africa.
Nkoli spoke at rallies in support of rent-boycotts in the Vaal townships and in 1984 he was arrested and faced the death penalty for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
with twenty-one other political leaders in the Delmas Treason Trial
Delmas Treason Trial
The Delmas Treason Trial in South Africa was the prosecution of 22 anti-apartheid activists under security laws, with the intention of suppressing the United Democratic Front . The defendants included three senior UDF leaders, Frank Chikane, Mosiuoa Lekota and Popo Molefe, known as the "Big Three"...
, including Popo Molefe
Popo Molefe
Popo Simon Molefe is a South African politician, and the former Premier of the North West Province....
and Patrick Lekota, collectively known as the Delmas 22. By coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
while a prisoner, he helped change the attitude of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
to gay rights. He was acquitted and released from prison in 1988.
He founded the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand
Witwatersrand
The Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations...
in 1988. He traveled widely and was given several human rights awards in Europe and North America. He was a member of International Lesbian and Gay Association
International Lesbian and Gay Association
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association is an international organization bringing together more than 750 LGBTI groups from around the world. It continues to be active in campaigning for LGBT rights on the international human rights and civil rights scene and...
board, representing the African region.
He was one of the first gay activists to meet with President Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
in 1994. He helped in the campaign for the inclusion of protection from discrimination in the Bill of Rights in the 1994 South African constitution
Constitution of South Africa
The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the country of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was...
and for the repeal of the sodomy law, which happened in May 1998 in his last months.
After becoming one of the first publicly HIV-positive African gay men, he initiated the Positive African Men group based in central Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. He had been infected with HIV for around 12 years, and had been seriously ill, on and off, for the last four. He died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in 1998 in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.
There is a Simon Nkoli Street in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and a Simon Nkoli Day in San Francisco. He opened the first Gay Games
Gay Games
The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
in New York and was made a freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of that city by mayor David Dinkins
David Dinkins
David Norman Dinkins is a former politician from New York City. He was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993; he was the first and is, to date, the only African American to hold that office.-Early life:...
. In 1996 Nkoli was given the Stonewall Award in the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Canadian filmmaker John Greyson
John Greyson
John Greyson is a Canadian filmmaker, whose work frequently deals with gay themes. Greyson is also a video artist, writer and activist; he is currently a professor at York University, where he teaches film and video theory and film production and editing.-Background:Greyson was born the son of...
made a short film about Nkoli titled A Moffie Called Simon in 1987. Nkoli was the subject of Robert Colman's 2003 play, "Your Loving Simon" and Beverley Ditsie's 2002 film "Simon & I".
John Greyson's 2009 film Fig Trees, a hybrid documentary/opera includes reference to Nkoli's activism.
External links
- Biography
- Obituary
- Simon and I - Film by Beverley Palesa Ditsie at the IMDb
- Article about play "Your Loving Simon"
- groups.msn.com
See also
- HIV/AIDS in South AfricaHIV/AIDS in South AfricaHIV/AIDS in South Africa is a prominent health concern because South Africa is believed to have more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country....
- Joel Gustave Nana NgongangJoel Gustave Nana NgongangJoël Gustave Nana Ngongang , frequently known as Joel Nana, is a leading African LGBT human rightsadvocate and HIV/AIDS activist. Nana's career as a human rights advocate has spanned numerous...