Members of Johannesburg’s LGBTQ+ community are being urged to remain vigilant after another violent robbery linked to the dating app Grindr.
A 43-year-old queer man was targeted on Saturday afternoon in Randburg after arranging to meet someone through the app.
The victim, who is not South African and has asked to remain anonymous, is physically safe and has opened a case with police.
Lured to Guesthouse in Randburg
According to information shared with MambaOnline by Rev Toni Kruger-Ayebazibwe, Executive Director, The Global Interfaith Network for People of All Sexes, Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions (GIN SSOGIE), a colleague connected with someone on Grindr and agreed to meet at a guesthouse in Randburg at around 15:00.
Shortly after arriving and meeting the individual in a room, five men allegedly burst in. The victim reported that he recognised some of them from Grindr profiles.
The attackers assaulted him and forced him to hand over his phone passcode. They then accessed his banking applications — including a cryptocurrency app — and transferred money out of his accounts.
The men allegedly tied him up for several hours before leaving. They reportedly threatened to post photographs of him tied up on social media if he “did anything stupid”.
Case Opened at Randburg Police Station
The victim has opened a case at the South African Police Service’s Randburg Police Station and is awaiting a case number.
Kruger-Ayebazibwe, who accompanied the man to the station, said officers were generally helpful, although they were initially reluctant to collect physical evidence — including food wrappers, bottles and utensils — that the victim had gathered in the hope of obtaining fingerprints or DNA. Police eventually agreed to take the items.
This latest incident follows a disturbing pattern of so-called “Grindr gang” attacks in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa, in which criminals use fake profiles to lure queer men to isolated locations, guesthouses or private residences before robbing and assaulting them.
“The ability to launch these violent attacks with a degree of impunity rests in the vulnerability of our communities,” Kruger-Ayebazibwe told MambaOnline.
“If my colleague was less experienced, less out, more vulnerable to social pressure, he might not have reported the incident, or it might have ended more badly. I am grateful for the efforts that the movement and justice system have put into fighting these attacks, but we have much more to do,” Kruger-Ayebazibwe added.
The trial of seven men accused of the alleged kidnapping, brutal assault and extortion of a young Wits student lured through Grindr is ongoing in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
Community Must Remain Cautious
Community members — particularly those meeting someone for the first time — are urged to exercise extreme caution.
It’s recommended that they arrange first meetings in public spaces where possible, share their live location with a trusted friend, and be wary of profiles that refuse video calls or verification.
While dating apps remain an important way for LGBTQ+ people to connect, these ongoing attacks are a stark reminder that vigilance remains essential.
