The annual Khumbulani Pride took to the streets of Khayelitsha in Cape Town to remember slain queer teenager KwaKhanya Mhlanganisi and other victims of LGBTQ+ hate and violence.
The event’s name, Khumbulani, means “Remember” in isiXhosa and highlights the violence faced by queer people in township communities.
On Saturday, 23 May, dozens of activists and community members, led by the organisation Free Gender, gathered to sing, march and call for justice for victims and survivors of anti-LGBTQ+ violence.
Participants waved rainbow flags and held banners and placards, bringing queer visibility and defiance to the streets of Khayelitsha.
“Khumbulani Pride is more than a Pride event… it is a grassroots movement rooted in remembrance, resistance, and justice for Black queer communities living in South Africa’s townships,” said the organisers ahead of the march.
Remembering KwaKhanya Mhlanganisi
The township recently witnessed the killing of 16-year-old Mhlanganisi, who was murdered in December 2025 in what community members and activists believe was a homophobic hate crime.
Reports indicate that the teenager was beaten to death and burned after being targeted with homophobic slurs. Police arrested two young men in connection with the murder.
Khumbulani Pride organisers noted that “the case has faced multiple postponements due to a missing docket and changes in the investigating officer, causing further pain and frustration for the family and community.”
Candlelight Ceremony Honours Victims of LGBTQ+ Violence
Following the march, participants, together with Mhlanganisi’s father, gathered at the Site C Blue Community Hall for a powerful and moving candlelight ceremony and moment of silence.
Activists also held up pictures of previous victims of anti-queer violence in Khayelitsha, including Liyabona Mabishi, another queer teenager who was murdered after being stabbed 13 times in 2020, Lulama Mvandaba and Phelokazi Mqathanya, both slain in 2021, and Unathi Webber in 2022
Government Voices Support for Khumbulani Pride
In a message issued the day before the event, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Nel expressed his department’s support for the initiative and apologised for not being able to attend in person.
He described Khumbulani Pride “as a vital platform for raising awareness, sparking dialogue, and inspiring resilience in the face of systemic injustices.”
He continued: “Your work strengthens our democracy and ensures that the vision of the Constitution – a vision of dignity, equality, and freedom for all – becomes a lived reality.”
Nel added that “in this year marking the 30th Anniversary of the adoption of our Constitution, the event carries even greater significance.”
The day concluded with entertainment and poetry performances.
