Nelson Mandela Bay Murders Reflect National Crisis of Deadly Anti-LGBTIQ+ Violence

The murders of five queer individuals in less than a month in the Nelson Mandela Bay area represents a shocking surge in anti-LGBTIQ+ violence in South Africa in 2024.

LGBTIQ+ services and advocacy group OUT LGBT Well-being expressed deep concern over the deadly violence, which claimed the lives of two clients of its Engage Men’s Health project. The project provides sexual health services to gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM).

OUT revealed that a total of five brutal murders took place in the Eastern Cape metro within just four weeks. These included:

18 August 2024: Xolani Xaka, a 32-year-old gay man from Zwide, Gqeberha, was fatally stabbed by unknown assailants who called him to the gate of his home. We previously reported on this cold-blooded crime.

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 hurled anti-gay slurs before shooting him for daring to defy them. Sipho died in his partner’s arms.

1 September 2024: The body of Nokuthula Veronica Bottoman, a 35-year-old lesbian woman, was found in KwaNobuhle township, Kariega. She was reportedly stabbed and may have been raped. Her family only learned of her death through a social media post.

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. No one else was targeted in the shooting. Both were openly queer and well-known in their community. Siyasanga was a beloved local football coach.

“We are horrified by these brutal 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,” said Sibonelo Ncanana, OUT’s Civil Society Engagement Officer.

He added, “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 period in the same region.”

OUT extended its condolences to the victims’ families, friends, and communities and urged law enforcement to conduct thorough investigations into the murders to assess any possible connections and ensure justice is served.

The organisation also called on the authorities to determine whether the attacks qualify as hate crimes under the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act and to provide the LGBTIQ+ community with appropriate 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 coordinating community safety workshops and awareness campaigns,” Ncanana stated.

2024: A Deadly National Trend

This year has seen a devastating rise in deadly attacks against LGBTIQ+ individuals in South Africa, with at least eight additional murders reported in 2024 (beyond the five deaths mentioned above). 

7 September 2024: The decomposing body of 50-year-old Lazarus Ikaneng Thomas, affectionately known as “Pankie,” was discovered in his shack in Galeshewe township, Kimberley. The shack was locked from the outside, and there were signs that he may have been strangled. He was last seen alive two weeks earlier.

27 August 2024: Lesbian couple Nombulelo Bhixa, 28, and Minenhle Ngcobo, 22, were allegedly shot in the head by Ngcobo’s jealous ex-boyfriend in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg.

10 August 2024: Clement Hadebe, a 22-year-old transgender woman, was shot dead in Johannesburg while walking home with friends. Her murder sparked a wave of queerphobic victim-blaming on social media.

17 June 2024: Neliseka “Nelly” Xeke, a beloved 28-year-old lesbian, was found with mutilating wounds near a tavern in Motherwell, Nelson Mandela Bay. She was reportedly killed after intervening in a domestic dispute.

1 June 2024: Karabelo Pudumo, an 18-year-old transgender high school student from the Northern Cape, was stabbed more than 20 times in a suspected hate crime in Kimberley.

14 May 2024: 27-year-old transgender woman, Jo-Ann Isaks, was found by a family member in a burning room in Paballelo, a township in Upington. Police said her body had multiple stab wounds.

3 February 2024: Diego Jacobs, 21, a gay man, was stabbed to death while walking home with friends in Delft, Cape Town. His alleged killer had reportedly previously harassed him for his queer identity.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill into law in May 2024, after almost two decades of advocacy. Activists hope it will help stem crimes motivated by prejudice and hate but it remains unclear if its provisions have had any meaningful impact.