SOUTH AFRICAN ANTI HATE CAMPAIGN 
GOES LIVE DURING THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM 

NOH8 SOUTH AFRICA

“You don’t have to hear your voice to be able to use it....”
 
Discrimination in South Africa is something that has received the cold shoulder of the blind eye and has been unsuccessfully swept under the rug.  NOH8 South Africa is here to push movement into the stagnant demeanour of our country and raise awareness that will lead to change.

The NOH8 Campaign is a photo project and silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bousaka and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8 in the state of California, which bans same-sex marriages, as a campaign to help abolish this legislation.

The campaign started with portraits of everyday Californians who support Marriage Equality and soon rose to celebrities, military personnel, brothers & sisters, law enforcement, lesbian mothers, directors, politicians, newlyweds and more.

Photos feature subjects with silver duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and NOH8 being painted on one cheek, in protest.

“From Greece, Canada, Australia to London and everywhere in-between, we're constantly amazed by the incredible photos we've been receiving... It means so much to us!” -Adam Bousaka
 
NOH8 South Africa is derived from the hate of discrimination and is focused on raising awareness and abolishing all types of ignorance when it comes to every form of discrimination found in South Africa, i.e homophobia, sexism, racism and xenophobia to name but a popular few.

This South African initiative is founded by Thabang Mamadi, who is the Press, Art and Media Director of NOH8 South Africa. The executive members in the South African team, are namely; Seago Seobi, Mbali Mamba, Mika Stefano and Ayanda Jongolo.

• “Sometimes we manage to overlook how lucky we are to live in a country like South Africa, where we are blessed with freedom and endless opportunities.”
• “Our goal is to get people talking. We need the levels of ignorance dropped whilst we raise those of awareness. We have had two very successful photo shoots. The support thus far, to our only 2 month old campaign has been amazing and we are looking forward to growing even larger. ”  

The very first official NOH8 South Africa shoot took place on Saturday October 3rd, in Pretoria and was hosted by budding photographer, Imari Visser.
 
The shoot was very successful and featured the faces of Sihle Bolani, Flex Boogie, Rizelle Applegreen, Frost and the Twitch crew members –Oratile ‘Ori’ Mabena, Lebogang Dulamo and Fidelis Moema.

On the 8th of November (Remembrance Sunday) we had the Johannesburg leg of the South African part of the NOH8 Campaign, and we had over 100 different people who all loaned their faces to the campaign. NADINE BOTHA and LEBO LUKE WARM are the two photographers who made the JHB leg of the campaign possible.
 
Some of the familiar faces photographed include the Queen of Bling, KHANYI MBAU, VuzuTV Presenter; NONHLE THEMA, Skwatta Kamp rapper; SLIKOUR, FHM Model, PRECIOUS MAKGARETSA, Miss South Africa Teen 2008; KOPANO MOCWANE, Fashion Designer, JJ SCHOEMAN and his partner, as well as Fashion Designer GERT COETZEE and his husband to be, TV Presenter; JONAID CARRERA, Hip Hop group, IV LEAGUE, House DJ LULO CAFE, Music producer LUNGELO LUBELWANA and his wife, KAILASH and their one year old daughter, SONA, Kwaito Artist, C-GA, stage actors SIVAN RAPHAELY and SONIA ESGUEIRA, Gay Comedian, ETIENNE SHARDLOW, Cream Cartel stars, ABIAH and CHOC, Drag Queens from Simply Blue FOXY and LALA, Business Women, KAROLINA SKY, MELANIE RAMJEE, ARWEN, FARAH FORTUNE and her daughter LAILA, Marketing Manager of Nando’s SYLVESTER CHAUKE, Horse Riding Champ, TESSA VAN DUUREN, Highveld DJ’s ROXY BURGER and BAILEY SCHNEIDER and YFM DJ’s MOTSO, CHUBBI, WARRAS and TSHEKO to name a few. 

• The NOH8 South Africa campaign was initiated on Wednesday August 19, 2009.
• The online part of the campaign begins on Facebook on the 25th November (International Day of No Violence against Women) with a build up to the NOH8 Website.
• The NOH8 South Africa website will be live by the 1st December (World Aids Day) and the campaign should be interactive by the 10th December. (International Human Rights Day)
• This will be followed by a series of interviews and discussions on the NOH8 South Africa Facebook group. These will be administrated by the various faces who have donated their face to the campaign.
• This will mean that you can interact with them and have an open discussion with them...

We will be conducting a series of NOH8 Shoots in 2010 and plans of a Human Rights Day exhibition in March 2010 have already been started.
 
“Right now our campaign is based in Gauteng, but our 2010 plans include covering every corner of Mzansi, shaking people up and making them aware of the real problems in our country.” – Thabang Mamadi

For more information, please visit,"

• http://www.noh8.us
• http://www.twitter.com/NOH8SA
• http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=253033640513
• http://www.noh8.co.za - designed by KAMO DUIKER of KillaKam and MPHO TSHINAVHA of Soultraxx.

Or contact us on noh8sa@yahoo.com
 
‘We Propagate Anti Hate, Cosz It Has Never Been Cool To Discriminate’