Details Emerge in Senseless Murder of Trans Woman Clement Hadebe

A friend of Clement Hadebe, a transgender woman recently murdered in Johannesburg, has spoken out to correct what they describe as inaccurate media reports about the circumstances of her death.

The friend, identified as Sasha, spoke to MambaOnline about the tragic night Clement was shot multiple times. Sasha confirmed that Clement was 22-years-old, identified as a trans woman, and had recently started transitioning.

Sasha refuted media reports that Clement was killed by a man she met while out partying, who then took her to a bed and breakfast and shot her in anger upon discovering she was transgender.

Sasha shared that she had grown close to Clement in the past few months after Clement had moved from her hometown of Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal. She lived with her boyfriend in Malvern, Johannesburg and worked from home as an online forex trader.

A Night Out Turns Into Tragedy

On Friday, 9 August, Clement, Sasha, and a third friend went clubbing, but the evening took a dark turn when an incident with a taxi driver left the third friend with a broken wrist requiring medical attention.

After spending several hours at the hospital with their injured friend, Clement and Sasha returned to Malvern in the early hours of the morning and decided to wind down at the Broadway Pub on Jules Street.

The two met up with friends and socialised, relieved to have returned safely after the taxi driver incident. Sasha denies reports that men were buying Clement drinks, saying, “We sat for a very long time. We just chilled; we didn’t even dance like we normally do when we go out.”

At around 4:45 am, Clement told Sasha she was heading home and left on foot. A few minutes later, Sasha received a frantic call from friends outside the pub.

“They said, ‘They shot your friend!’ We ran as a group of friends towards the scene, about three streets away, maybe 800 metres. When I got there, Clemmy was on the ground, bleeding from the stomach, her eyes open,” Sasha recalled, adding that Clement was unresponsive.

“I was confused; I was traumatised. I tried to check if she was breathing, but I didn’t know what to do. I was just with Clemmy, and now she’d been shot…”

A Life and Dreams Cut Short

Police and an ambulance arrived, as did Clement’s boyfriend, who had been at home sleeping. The young woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the gravity of the situation became painfully real.

“The forensics started taking pictures, and they turned Clemmy over. It was the most terrible moment. I just started crying. The boyfriend and others at the scene started crying too. It was devastating,” Sasha said.

Sasha speculated about what might have led to Clement’s death. “Was it a case of homophobia? I don’t know. Was it a robbery? I don’t think so—her [bank] card was still in her handbag. Maybe someone followed her [from the pub]? I honestly don’t know.”

Sasha and several friends are planning a march and candelight vigil to honour Clement and call for justice for their lost friend.

“Clemmy was a sweetheart, a bubbly person. She wanted to be a model; everyone said she was a beauty. But her dreams have been lost, just washed down the drain. Life can be taken away from you just like that—that’s what happened to Clemmy,” Sasha mourned.

Police have confirmed to MambaOnline that a murder investigation is underway. The motive is unknown and no arrests have been made.

Murder and Transphobic Speculation Condemned

On Wednesday, OUT LGBT Well-being expressed shock at the murder of Clement Hadebe and condemned the “queerphobic victim-blaming sensationalism” surrounding her death.

The group highlighted that some media reports and social media comments suggested Clement was “to blame” for her death for allegedly “deceiving” a man about her gender. In some cases, social media users even justified her murder as a reasonable response to discovering someone’s gender identity.

“Victim-blaming is never acceptable,” said Sibonelo Ncanana, OUT LGBT Well-being’s Civil Society Engagement Officer. “The notion that LGBTIQ+ people are ‘hiding’ who they are when they are simply being themselves is deeply concerning. Our identity is not something that requires disclosure.”

“In Clement’s case, much of what has been reported is speculative,” Ncanana added. “But even if the suspect was initially unaware that Clement was LGBTIQ+, there can never be any justification for violence. Clement did nothing wrong by being her authentic self.”

In a statement, the Embrace Diversity Movement (EDM) condemned the murder as a senseless act of violence.

“The killing of Clement Hadebe is a stark example of the dangers faced by the queer community, particularly those who are marginalised and excluded. We demand justice for Hadebe and call on the authorities to take immediate action to apprehend and prosecute those responsible for this heinous crime,” said EDM Secretary-General Mpho Buntse.

Buntse called for increased efforts to address homophobia and transphobia in South Africa, greater support and protection for the queer community, and urged the National Rapid Response Task Team on Hate Crimes to prioritise this case.