Balancing with Steve

Steve is a prominent leader, with high level international policy and human rights experience for close to two decades. She does not take the appointment lightly and sees it as an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the democratic governance of the ruling party, adding to the big task of renewal and unity.

“As the first openly black lesbian woman to serve on the National Executive Committee of the ANC; that on its own demonstrates a clarion transformational, inclusive and intersectional pathway that the ANC seeks to achieve in its leadership structures that reflects broad church that is the just ANC,” she said.

Steve is determined to use her capabilities, skills and experience to represent ALL South Africans. To restore confidence in the ANC, it aims to represent all citizens, inclusive of LGBTI+ people and their experiences. Steve will play her part in encouraging the ANC to implement policies and advocate for rights that will favour the LGBTI+ community.
Balancing being a Human Rights advocate and a politician can be daunting, but Steve believes that the two should co-exist as when one leads by human rights values you are bound to exercise authority that displays good governance and reforms of democratic approaches that creates avenues for change.

Steve believes that change requires political will and that is what she is prepared for. She always aspires to lead by example and ultimately achieve the end results of economic justice and social transformation for all. As the Co-Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), Steve plays a role in promoting accessibility to health benefits for LGBTI+ people without discrimination.

The Council has been consistent in its quest of non-discriminative efforts. SANAC became the first in Africa and the world to develop an LGBTI+ HIV plan, establish a Sector that seeks to ensure that LGBTI+ people have a better health seeking behaviour and access to competent and affirmative services. Steve observes that the objective now is to upscale the social behaviour change efforts to ensure that we eliminate discrimination in all grounds, in communities that seek to undermine the efforts of the Council, but most importantly that seek to undermine the Constitution.

“Attitudes in society must change. No, one should be discriminated against, and that has to be a lived reality. LGBTI+ people should be able to enjoy and access their rights without fear, everywhere they are. It must be understood that the responsibility of the Council is to ensure that South Africans lead a healthy lifestyle, that includes suppressing the viral loads, linking people to treatment and services and prevent HIV, TB and STIs, that also includes preventing any human rights violations,” explained Steve.
Steve believes that South Africa has made some great strides in promoting and implementing the rights of LGBTI+ people. “South Africa has many great examples on how a country has seemed to advance and promote the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution,” she said.

Nurturing good governance is essential to ensuring respect for human rights. Without the rule of law, independent courts, and other institutions of modern society – essential components of good governance – the promise of human rights may remain just that: a promise unfulfilled. “South Africa can do more and better; society can be a part of improving that effort. We should never be trapped in the idea that it is the responsibility of Government alone, all stakeholders should be aligned and heed the call of promoting and protecting the human rights of LGBTI people or any other minority groups to ensure that everyone is liberated in this beautiful country of ours,” concludes Steve.
With such a passionate advocate for human rights in the NEC, the LGBTI+ community is well represented.