Gqeberha, 20 September 2024 – OUT LGBT Well-being is deeply alarmed by the shocking rise in deadly violence against the LGBTIQ+ community in South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Bay region.
In the span of less than one month, five LGBTIQ+ individuals have been brutally murdered in a series of senseless attacks, suspected to be hate crimes. Among the victims were two clients of OUT’s Engage Men’s Health project and a same-sex couple.
The following tragic incidents have been reported to OUT:
18 August 2024: Xolani Xaka, a 32-year-old gay man from Zwide, Gqeberha, was fatally stabbed outside his home by unknown assailants who called him to the gate. Xolani was a client of OUT’s Engage Men’s Health project, which provides sexual health services to gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). (Please see earlier media statement)
1 September 2024: Sipho Mahlinza, 27, was with his partner in his car in Kwazakhele, Gqeberha, when they were confronted by a group of men who demanded that they drive them around. When Sipho refused, the men reportedly used anti-gay slurs before shooting him because a gay man dared to defy them. Sipho, who died in his partner’s arms, was also an Engage Men’s Health client.
1 September 2024: The body of Nokuthula Veronica Bottoman, a 35-year-old lesbian woman, was found in KwaNobuhle township, Kariega. There are reports that she was stabbed and may have been raped. Her devastated family only learned of her death through a post that they came across on social media.
14 September 2024: Queer couple Siyasanga Mabulu, 39, and Abongile Mani, 23, were shot and killed at a tavern in Khayamnandi, Gqeberha, by a group of men. It appears that no one else was targeted in the shooting. Both were out to their families and communities. Siyasanga was a beloved local soccer coach.
“We are horrified by these brutal and cold-blooded murders, which have devastated families and communities. These heinous acts instill fear in the LGBTIQ+ community in Nelson Mandela Bay, which already faces significant stigma and marginalisation,” says Sibonelo Ncanana, OUT’s Civil Society Engagement Officer. “It’s unclear whether the attacks are connected and part of a coordinated assault on LGBTIQ+ people, or if they happened to occur within a short time frame in the same region,” he adds.
OUT extends our deepest condolences to the victims’ families, friends, and communities. We urge law enforcement to conduct thorough and urgent investigations into these murders to assess if they are in any way related and to ensure that justice is served.
We further call on the authorities to determine whether the attacks are hate crimes, as defined under the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act, and to accordingly provide the LGBTIQ+ community with guidance and protection.
OUT has already engaged with local SAPS officials, the district Department of Social Development, and affected communities. We will provide ongoing emotional and financial support to the victims’ families, while also coordinating community safety workshops and awareness campaigns.
About OUT LGBT Well-being and Engage Men’s Health
OUT LGBT Well-being is a registered NPO recognised internationally for providing high-quality HIV and other health and empowerment services to gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) communities. Founded in 1994 and one of the longest-running LGBTIQ+ organisations in South Africa, we advocate for LGBTIQ+ equality and human rights and work to eradicate stigma, discrimination, and hate crimes. OUT’s Engage Men’s Health project is funded by USAID through PEPFAR to provide HIV and related health services to MSM in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City. For more information, please visit www. out.org.za and www.engagemenshealth.org.za.