Cape Town - The City of Cape Town said that it has made progress in making Cape Town a LGBTQIA+ friendly city but acknowledges that there is still work to be done as it celebrates pride week.
The 2022 Cape Town Pride Festival has returned with a splash, with numerous events leading up to the pride parade and Mardi Gras on Saturday having already taken place.
The week-long festival kicked off last Saturday with the crowning of the new Mr and Miss Cape Town Pride and was followed by a Pride Hike up Pipe Track on Sunday, 20 February 2022.
On Thursday, the Cape Town Pride Festival will host the Hero's Awards and Charity Auction for the benefit of the Nkoli House Project – an initiative to raise funds for a care centre for the LGBTQIA+ community.
This will be followed by film screenings on Friday at the Labia Theatre.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said that the City is proud of its long-standing partnership with OUTReach Africa.
“Through the Cape Town Pride Festival, we believe we have made progress in ensuring that we make Cape Town a LGBTQIA+ friendly city where members of the community can enjoy the rights and freedoms envisioned by the Constitution.
“There is still some work to be done, and we believe that through this partnership, we can ensure we provide a platform where individuals can express themselves, raise awareness and celebrate who they are.
“This year's theme, ’Together Again’, plays a significant role in highlighting the physical celebration of the Pride festival in contrast to the virtual event during the pandemic,” Smith said.
Cape Town Pride Week will end in a parade that will start at 12.00 on Saturday, February 26, 2022.
The parade will kick off at Prestwich Street in De Waterkant and proceed to the Green Point A-Track, where members of the public can enjoy performances from Zoë Zana, Manila Von Teez, J Mitzi, Maxine Wilde and 3 Tons of Fun on stage.