This Trans Day of Remembrance, we honour Nare Mphela, a staunch advocate for trans rights whose life was cut short.

Between the years of 2013 and 2014 Nare, a secondary school learner, endured relentless discrimination at school, which was often instigated by the principal, who also encouraged other students to target her because of her gender identity. The relentless hostility took such a toll on her that she shared, in time, that it contributed to her not passing matric in 2014.

Nare reported that the principal’s degrading conduct- marked by deeply hurtful language- violated her constitutional right to dignity and equality as per the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA) , a South African law enacted in 2000 to prohibit unfair discrimination, harassment, and hate speech. Despite repeated pleas for assistance, the Limpopo Department of Education did little to intervene or stop the abuse she was facing.

In 2017, the court ruled in Nare Mphela’s favour. Represented by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), she won her case against the former principal and the Limpopo Department of Education—an important victory not only for herself, but for transgender learners across the country.

Iranti covered this landmark win in 2017:

Three years after this hard-won triumph, Nare’s life came to a tragic end. Nare was found murdered, her body already in a state of decomposition by the time her family and friends discovered her.  

Although South Africa’s laws speak of equality, respect, and protection, the lived experiences of queer people tell a different story. LGBTQI+ individuals continue to face violence in every sphere of life- at home, in classrooms, in churches, social spaces, from families to strangers, and even within the healthcare system. Hate-driven violence, like the tragedy that ended Nare’s life, remains an all-too-familiar reality for people across diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. 

Nare’s legacy endures in the safer, more affirming school environments that emerged because of her steadfast determination and bravery. 

Today, Iranti stands in solidarity with the families, friends, and communities grieving the lives of transgender people whose lives were cut short due hatred. As anti-rights and anti-gender rhetorics continue to spread, so does they urgency grows for stakeholders such as police, government stakeholders, and policymakers to take action to mitigate this and works towards fostering inclusive societies.