‘Stop killing us for muthi’ – call at albinism awareness march

People with albinism were the subject of a public awareness campaign at the Moth Hall, where a call was made to stop the murder of those who have the condition for either money or muthi.
People living with albinism still feel that more has to be done to protect them because they are not free or safe in their own communities, despite the fact that no incidences of torture or murder have been reported in the Umzinyathi district in the past couple of years.

Speaking in unison, the speakers asserted that persons with albinism deserve the same respect, love and protection as everyone else and that they are also protected by the South African Constitution in the same way everyone else is.

Phumlani Mhlungu, a representative of the National Albinism Society, discussed the main obstacle that individuals living with albinism still need to overcome. “I always say that anyone living with albinism has a story to tell; we still experience discrimination, torture and contempt,” declared Mhlungu. He added that families fail to defend children living with this condition from evildoers.
“They are shunned by society and their parents from the moment of their birth.
“The majority of people do not understand the scientific basis for being born without melanin; they do not comprehend this rare genetic condition caused by mutations of certain genes that affect the amount of melanin our bodies produce, which controls the pigmentation (skin colour) of our skin, eyes and hair,” explained Mhlungu.
He also added that when growing up, they were called names at school, in tertiary settings, and even in their own homes.
“In fact, when I was in primary school, our teachers would not even mark my work because of all of these conventional beliefs,” he said. He continued by saying that, “A lot of us are still unemployed and I had to fight for everything I have. Through education, I managed to go up the ranks; I even have a qualification in Civil Engineering but am currently working for Correctional Services. We have to prove to everyone that we are also human, we can drive, we can have children, we can get married and build families just like everyone else, but it must also be noted that some lot of us can’t drive because of our weak eyesight, but besides that, we are human beings,” concluded Mhlungu.
Inkosi Majozi thanked the campaign organisers and said that everyone in the room should return to their communities and preach against the killing of people with albinism.
He continued by calling for the importance of such campaigns in all governmental structures. “People living with albinism need to be protected, since they fear being abducted and killed for their body parts, making it difficult for them to roam freely in their own areas. Since killing people serves no purpose and is simply witchcraft, we must collaborate with traditional healers, the police, Community Safety & Policing Forums, and all other government stakeholders and communities at large to protect their safety,” he concluded.