The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex (LGBTQI) + community in Philippi was left devastated by the death of one of its most prominent members on Friday 10 May, following a long illness.
Linda Siwela-Ntlanga (39), founder of Philippi LGBTQI+ Umbrella Organisation, was a well-known fighter for human rights, and particularly for people in same-sex relationships.
A long-standing friend, Unathi Dikani, also a member of the local LGBTQI+ community, said his death came as a shock because there was still so much that was expected from him.
“I was at work when I received the news about his death from one of his family members,” she said. “I was shocked, but again I consoled myself by saying God always has his plans. Very few can comprehend the pain Linda went through. He went through a lot. He was very sick.”
Dikani said there was so much to Ntlanga – a fighter, an activist, a socialite, a family man – and he was a role-model to younger LGBTQI+ members.
“Linda would stand up to address parents in meetings and urge them to support their children instead of judging and/or rejecting them. He would encourage everyone around him to be a better person. He loved life and people.”
Ntlanga will be buried in his home town, Willowvale in the Eastern Cape, on Friday 24 May.
