With the support of OUT LGBT Well-being, MambaOnline publishes a monthly overview of reported LGBTIQ+ rights violations in South Africa, including hate speech, hate crimes and other forms of discrimination.
We also track the progress of cases through the criminal justice system and highlight key human rights developments. While we aim to be as comprehensive as possible, many incidents go unreported or are not identified as hate crimes.
Below is our summary for June 2026.
South Africa Rejected Anti-LGBTIQ+ Charter at Ghana Hate Conference
In an important development, South Africa declined to endorse the regressive Draft African Charter on Family Sovereignty and Values at the 4th African Regional Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty in Ghana. South African MP Zandile Majozi stated that the charter conflicts with the country’s Constitution and international human rights commitments, including protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender. The conference, which promoted anti-LGBTIQ+ legislation and sought to roll back rights across Africa, also drew criticism from human rights groups over the influence of foreign conservative organisations. According to reports, delegates from 20 African countries ultimately endorsed the charter.
Woolworths Disabled Pride Campaign Comments
Woolworths disabled comments on its 2026 Pride Month social media posts to protect its online community from the hateful and abusive responses that have accompanied previous LGBTIQ+ campaigns, prompting renewed discussion about ongoing anti-LGBTIQ+ prejudice in South Africa. Content creator Luke Hackney argued that the move demonstrated why Pride Month remains necessary. Meanwhile, anti-LGBTIQ+ pastor Errol Naidoo again criticised the retailer’s support for LGBTIQ+ inclusion as part of a “public indoctrination agenda”. Woolworths confirmed it disabled comments on Pride content for the second consecutive year because many past responses had breached its community guidelines.
Suspect Granted Bail in KwaKhanya Mhlanganisi Murder Case
One of the two men accused of murdering queer Khayelitsha, Cape Town teenager KwaKhanya Mhlanganisi was granted R4,000 bail and released under court-imposed conditions, while the other accused remained in custody ahead of the trial. The decision disappointed LGBTIQ+ organisation Free Gender, which voiced concern that the case could follow the same path as the 2024 acquittal of five men accused of murdering queer teenager Liyabona Mabishi due to insufficient evidence. Activists continued to monitor the proceedings closely, calling for justice for Mhlanganisi, whose brutal killing in December 2025 was widely regarded as a suspected homophobic hate crime.
Ngizwe Mchunu Found Guilty of LGBTIQ+ Hate Speech
In a landmark judgment, the Johannesburg High Court, sitting as the Equality Court, found Ngizwe Mchunu guilty of hate speech, harassment and unfair discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people over a series of social media statements and a threatening march to KwaMai-Mai in Johannesburg in 2025. The court ordered Mchunu to pay R250,000, issue a public apology, undergo human rights sensitisation training, pay legal costs and refrain permanently from publishing discriminatory content targeting LGBTIQ+ people. The ruling was widely welcomed by LGBTIQ+ organisations and the South African Human Rights Commission as a significant victory against hate speech. The same-sex couple whose wedding triggered Mchunu’s campaign also confirmed that a separate criminal case of crimen injuria against him remained pending.
New Report Revealed How South Africans View LGBTIQ+ People
A landmark national survey by The Other Foundation and the Human Sciences Research Council found that public attitudes towards LGBTIQ+ people in South Africa had generally improved over the past decade, with increased support for same-sex marriage and equal rights, but also highlighted persistent discrimination and prejudice. The report found that family and cultural acceptance had changed little since 2015, while around half of South Africans did not believe LGBTIQ+ people experienced violence or harassment in their communities, despite ongoing reports of discrimination and hate crimes. Speakers at the report’s launch warned that legal protections alone could not overcome deeply rooted social prejudice and called for continued advocacy to challenge discrimination and defend the constitutional rights of LGBTIQ+ people.
Limpopo Teacher Accused of Online Hate Speech
OUT LGBT Well-being received a report of an online hate speech incident allegedly perpetrated by a primary school teacher in Limpopo on 29 June. The complainant, a lesbian woman from Gauteng, accused the man of targeting her with threats in a Facebook post. He is alleged to have stated, “You lesbian woman, you must watch your words when you speak, or you will be dealt with,” and railed against “a lesbian who already has children and then says she is marrying a wife.” The complainant said she “felt threatened, unsafe, and discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.” OUT will assist the complainant with the next steps in pursuing the matter.
500 Days Since the Assassination of Imam Muhsin Hendricks
June 30th, the last day of international Pride Month, marked exactly 500 days after the assassination of openly gay Imam Muhsin Hendricks. Hendricks was shot dead in cold blood on 15 February 2025 in Nelson Mandela Bay. Despite the killing being captured on video and the resulting international outrage at the murder, there have still been no arrests. Police have not announced any suspects or offered any hope that he, his family and community are any closer to finding justice. In a powerful opinion piece, activist Sikhander Coopoo reflected on the profound personal impact of the killing and the ongoing trauma experienced by queer Muslims in South Africa.
LGBTIQ+ Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees Caught Up in “March and March”
A growing movement targeting undocumented immigration in South Africa culminated in the “March and March” demonstrations on 30 June. LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers warned that rising xenophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric in South Africa were exposing them to increasing discrimination, fear and hostility. They cautioned that calls to deport refugees ignored the life-threatening persecution many had fled in countries where LGBTIQ+ people are criminalised. OUT reported at least eight individuals in Gauteng who were displaced because of the upheaval. The Fruit Basket organisation in Johannesburg provided emergency relief to those affected.
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 or request support, email MambaOnline on info@mambaonline.com or OUT LGBT Well-being on sncanana@out.org.za.
