Joburg Pride Addresses Boycott Claims and Confirms Amazon Is Not a 2025 Partner

Pride of Africa founder Kaye Ally clarifies partnership rumors amid mounting criticism over corporatization and inclusivity

Pride of Africa founder Kaye Ally has issued a statement on Thursday, October 23, just two days before the annual Johannesburg Pride march, addressing growing controversy around this year’s event. In the statement, Ally clarified that Johannesburg Pride did not officially onboard Amazon as a partner for the 2025 edition. Preliminary discussions with the company, she explained were released prematurely on a platform outside of their control before any formal agreement was finalized.

According to Ally, the misunderstanding arose after unverified information circulated online, suggesting that Joburg Pride had entered into a sponsorship deal with the multinational company. She emphasized that Pride of Africa values transparency and accountability and would never hide partnerships or decisions from the community it represents. “As an organization committed to transparency, accountability, and meaningful engagement, we believe open dialogue should always precede public statements of this nature,” the statement read.

CHECK ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu Fires Lawyers, Chooses to Defend Himself in Nigerian Terrorism Trial

Ally added that Johannesburg Pride had not been given an opportunity to respond to the open letter before it was published. She said the organization remains focused on creating a safe, inclusive, and affirming space for the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies, built on truth, respect, and collaboration. Despite the backlash, she insisted that Pride’s mission continues to center on unity and visibility, ensuring that all members of the queer community feel represented.

This year’s Johannesburg Pride marks 36 years of solidarity, making it one of the oldest and largest LGBTQIA+ events on the African continent. The celebration, set for Saturday, October 25, is expected to draw thousands of participants under the theme of empowerment, visibility, and inclusion. Pride organizers say they hope the event will serve as a reminder of how far the community has come while continuing to fight for equality and acceptance.

The controversy began when an open letter surfaced online accusing Johannesburg Pride of betraying its activist roots and prioritizing corporate partnerships over genuine community representation. Signed by organizers under the name “NoGoBurg Pride” and endorsed by several queer groups, the letter urged queer South Africans to boycott the official event. It called on participants to wear black in protest, donate to mutual aid funds, and attend alternative Pride gatherings instead.

The letter also drew attention to the 2012 clash between the “One in Nine” campaign and Joburg Pride organizers, when activists were denied a moment of silence for murdered Black lesbians and transgender people. Referencing that moment, the signatories argued that the Pride movement in South Africa had become disconnected from its political roots and from the people it was meant to represent. They wrote that Pride should be a protest against systemic injustice, not a corporate branding exercise, and urged South Africans to stand in solidarity with global struggles in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo.

Veteran LGBTQIA+ activist Beverly Palesa “Bev” Ditsie, a co-founder of the first Johannesburg Pride in 1990 alongside the late Simon Nkoli, also weighed in on the matter. Ditsie announced that her organization, House of Ditsie, endorses the open letter and will be hosting an alternative event called the “Nostalgia Pride Picnic” at Zoo Lake on Saturday. In a post on X, she wrote, “So you want to celebrate Pride, but you really don’t want to support capitalism and genocide? Woza nabangani bakho (come with your friends).” Her message resonated with many who believe Pride should return to its activist roots.

Omega Tv UK celebrates ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, we wish to thank all our viewers for helping us reach this milestone.

Happy 1st anniversary to Omega TV UK!.

Public reaction on social media has been divided. X user @scouserscuderia commented, “I really do believe that JHBPride’s commercialization erases the struggles of queer South Africans and exploits the actual social cause for financial gain.” Another user, @enbyfatale, wrote, “This pride (especially South African pride, given our history) has ALWAYS been political. Depoliticizing pride is capitalist, disrespectful to the pioneers of queer liberation in South Africa, and ultimately, homophobic.” Meanwhile, @Karabokgoleng shared, “Joburg Pride is very white supreme. My kid didn’t understand why I wouldn’t participate in the Melrose Arch one. Not all queer spaces are safe.”

As Johannesburg Pride prepares for its 36th year, the debate reflects a deeper question within the LGBTQIA+ community: should Pride continue as a celebration of progress and visibility or return to being a form of protest against social and political injustice? Organizers insist that the event remains both a celebration and a call for inclusion, while critics argue that true liberation cannot coexist with corporate influence.

Johannesburg Pride 2025 takes place amid renewed calls for reflection, solidarity, and authenticity a reminder that the struggle for equality and representation in South Africa’s queer community is still evolving, even after more than three decades of Pride.

About The Author