Attacks over albinism

By Simphiwe Malunga





Email address: mandlamalunga1@gmail.com

Twitter handle: @MalungaSM

Tags: #Albinos, Stigmas, Isishawa, IOL


They are our fellow students, our neighbours, children, parents and yet are treated like rhinoceros that are hunted down for ‘their precious rhino horns’. 


In the month of human rights one should embrace the existence of Albinos, keeping in mind the stigmas and hatred towards them. Let me highlight just a few dangerous beliefs towards albinos which have led to a rise in their fatality; it’s believed that bones and body parts of albinos hold magic powers, a superstition stating that having sex with a woman with albinism will cure a man of HIV and that pregnant women should not look directly at any albino or else they’ll give birth to one and the ridiculous list goes on. Just imagine! Albinism isn’t contagious.  Albinism is simply a condition inherited through genes, where a shortage of melanin pigment affects the eyes, hair and skin. Albino is a word derived from Latin albus, meaning white.


Everyone has the right to life, according to the South African constitution -Chapter 2 of the bill of rights but albinos don’t seem to be in the same umbrella. Their lives are taken, body parts amputated simply because of the way they look and this takes place in most parts of South Africa namely Kwazulu Natal, Mpumalanga and the likes. Enough already maan!  Being an albino in society is awful. As a student it becomes even hard to see the board and yet you have to stress about someone out there perceiving you as a ‘lucky charm’. On the other hand, albinos with their highly sensitive skin have to cope and adapt to harsh weather conditions which don’t favour their skin. Individuals with albinism are often discriminated and called names, like Isishawa a term frequently used by Zulu speaking people when referring to albinism, which albinos find offensive.


Evident to this, is the death of at least 20 Malawians with albinism killed for their body parts since November 2014 according to Amnesty International. Taking it back home is the recent death of a 20-year-old Thandazile Mpunzi a girl from Durban. She was murdered by her teenage boyfriend with intensions to mix her body parts with muti in a bid to become rich; this is according to IOL news.
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