Eudy Simelane facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 March 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | KwaThema, South Africa | ||
| Date of death | 28 April 2008 (aged 31) | ||
| Place of death | KwaThema, South Africa | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Springs Home Sweepers F.C. | |||
| National team | |||
| South Africa | |||
|
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Eudy Simelane (11 March 1977 – 28 April 2008) was a South African footballer who played for the South Africa national team and an LGBT rights activist. She was murdered in her hometown of KwaThema, Springs, Gauteng.
Contents
Early life
Simelane was born in KwaThema, Gauteng, South Africa.
Football
Simelane played as a midfielder for Springs Home Sweepers F.C. and the South Africa national team. She also coached four teams and was studying to be a referee.
Death
Simelane's partially clothed body was found in a creek in KwaThema. She had been abducted, beaten, and killed. A report by the international NGO ActionAid, backed by the South African Human Rights Commission, suggested that her murder was a hate crime committed against her because of her sexual orientation.
The trial of four suspected attackers began on 11 February 2009 in Delmas, Mpumalanga. One of the four alleged attackers pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 32 years' imprisonment. In September 2009, another was convicted of murder and robbery, and sentenced to life plus 35 years, but the remaining two accused were acquitted.
Honours
A miniature bridge was erected in KwaThema, Springs, Gauteng, in her honor in 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Eudy Simelane para niños
