South Africans celebrate Pride after a two year gap

Thousands of people participated in Saturday's Pride Parade in South Africa's Johannesburg , the first such event since the end of the pandemic .

The event went ahead after the US embassy in the country warned of a potential terrorist attack in the northern suburb of Sandton near Johannesburg.

"We are always fighting for visibility and we are always in danger, so me hearing of the terrorist attack it didn't even bother me. Either way, if I die my family already rejected me anyway so no one is gonna get to miss me", said LGBTQi+ activist, Anold Mulaisho.

Another activist, doctor Lethuxolo Shange, added: 

"For the average child growing up in South Africa it is not safe at all. Queer people, we are killed every single day, one after the other, so it's very, very important: we still have a very long way, the law is there but the practice and the mindset in our community hasn't changed. We are still working on that, and hoping for a better future", he concluded. 

On Friday, South Africa's police minister, Bheki Cele, assured that several major events planned over the weekend would be "properly protected" .