MambaOnline publishes a monthly overview of reported LGBTIQ+ rights violations in South Africa, including hate speech, hate crimes and other incidents of discrimination.
We also look at the status of cases making their way through the criminal justice system and related human rights developments.
Here is our summary for August 2025.
Survivor of Alleged LGBTIQ+ Hate Crime Rape Continued to Seek Closure
In Pretoria, the hate crime rape case of a young lesbian survivor, first attacked in Atteridgeville in January 2020 at the age of 16, resumed in the Magistrate’s Court. The assault, described as a targeted act of sexual violence linked to so-called “corrective rape,” highlighted the intersection of gender-based violence and homophobic discrimination. Now 21, the survivor continued to receive psychosocial and legal support, with Access Chapter 2 monitoring the proceedings to ensure accountability. The court heard crucial testimony from the survivor’s mother, a forensic analyst, a medical doctor, and a SAPS sergeant, strengthening the case against the accused. The matter remained ongoing.
Drag Star Tollie Parton Targeted in Online Religious Hate Speech
South African drag performer Tollie Parton (Wynand Kotze) was subjected to a wave of online hate speech after a religious extremist posted a vitriolic Facebook rant condemning drag and targeting Kotze personally. The post, which quoted biblical passages to denounce drag as “depravity” and an “abomination,” went viral and triggered hundreds of comments, including at least one violent threat, calling to hang LGBTQ+ people. While some users challenged the bigotry, many echoed the queerphobic rhetoric, underscoring the persistent dangers of religiously motivated hate speech online.
Transgender Prisoner Challenges Prison Authorities
In Johannesburg, transgender prisoner NM has taken the Department of Correctional Services to the Gauteng High Court and the Equality Court after being denied gender-affirming healthcare, including hormone treatment, for more than five years despite medical recommendations. The case echoed that of Jade September, who in 2019 won a landmark ruling affirming transgender prisoners’ rights and led to the adoption of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for LGBTQ+ inmates. However, civil society groups reported that these protections were inconsistently applied, with officials often believing the order applied only to September. Alleged ongoing harassment of transgender women by prison staff, inadequate implementation of SOPs, and repeated legal interventions underscored systemic discrimination within correctional facilities.
Still No Justice for Slain Gay Imam Muhsin Hendricks
August marked six months since the assassination of openly gay imam Muhsin Hendricks in Gqeberha, without arrests or visible progress in the police investigation. The lack of transparency and apparent urgency from the SA Police Service raised fears among the LGBTQ+ community and activists, who warned that the silence sends a dangerous message that violence against queer people could go unpunished. Human rights groups condemned the absence of accountability, stressing that Hendricks’ murder should be treated as a high-profile hate crime. The case highlights ongoing failures in the justice system to respond effectively to anti-LGBTQ+ violence, despite new hate crimes legislation still awaiting full implementation.
Grindr Gang Trial Finally Started
After nearly two years of delays, the trial of the so-called “Grindr Gang” began in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, where seven men stood accused of luring a student via Grindr before kidnapping, torturing, and attempting to extort his family. The prosecution’s first witness – a friend of the survivor – testified about receiving ransom demands and disturbing images, highlighting the targeted violence facilitated through dating apps against LGBTQ+ people. Civil society organisations monitored the proceedings, stressing the urgency of justice after lengthy delays. The accused faced charges of kidnapping, extortion, attempted murder, and theft, with the victim expected to testify when the trial resumes in November.
Far-Right Group Spreads Anti-LGBTQ Panic Over School Education
The far-right group CitizenGO escalated anti-LGBTQ+ fearmongering in South Africa by launching a social media campaign targeting Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in schools. The group claimed—contrary to expert evidence—that CSE promoted sexualisation, gender “confusion,” and undermined parental rights, framing it as an attack on traditional family values. CitizenGO’s petition to the Minister of Basic Education, which had thousands of signatories, accused the government of exposing children to “harmful” content on gender identity and sexual orientation. The campaign reflected a broader international trend of anti-gender groups fuelling panic and resistance to LGBTQ+ rights across Africa under the guise of protecting children and Christian values.
Finally, Justice for Slain Lesbian Refilwe Malope
Justice was finally served in the case of lesbian woman Refilwe Malope, who was abducted and murdered in Limpopo in 2022. The Polokwane High Court sentenced cousins Thabo Moses Mokwana, a former police officer, and Modirela Maxwell Mokwana to life imprisonment for her murder, with additional concurrent sentences for kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice. Activists welcomed the verdict as a significant affirmation that hate crimes and homophobic killings would not go unpunished, although questions remained about the killers’ motive. Deputy Ministers from the Justice and Women’s ministries also condemned the crime as an attack on constitutional values and offered condolences to Malope’s family, who expressed relief at the outcome after years of anguish.
Suspect in Athule Mahlathini’s Burning Murder Set Free
In a setback for justice, the suspect accused of murdering 25-year-old queer Eastern Cape resident Athule Mahlathini in a suspected 2022 hate crime was released by the Motherwell Magistrates’ Court in July under unclear circumstances. Mahlathini was beaten, doused in paraffin, and set alight after being attacked for their relationship with another man. OUT LGBT Well-being condemned the handling of the case, citing a missing docket, repeated delays, and absent witnesses as evidence of systemic failures in addressing hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people. The organisation called for urgent action from the NPA, SAPS, and the Department of Justice, while pressing government to fast-track implementation of the Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act.
SA Catholic Group Removed Anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric From Website
A South African Catholic lay group, South Africa Needs Our Lady (SANOL), removed inflammatory online content that described homosexuality and transgender people as sinful, mad, abusive, and an “enemy of the family.” The material, which equated LGBTQ+ identities with societal decay and child harm, was challenged by a Catholic LGBTQ+ member who argued it violated constitutional rights to equality and dignity. SANOL agreed to take the content down pending review. The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference confirmed that SANOL had no official Church affiliation, distancing itself from the offensive rhetoric. The incident highlighted the persistent use of religious platforms to propagate anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in South Africa.
Have you experienced or witnessed an LGBTIQ+ rights violation such as a hate crime, hate speech or any other kind of LGBTIQ+ discrimination in South Africa? If you’d like to bring it to the attention of the LGBTIQ+ community, email info@mambaonline.com. We will refer survivors to community groups that can provide support.
