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 September 2025.
North-West University Pride Flag Vandalism Highlights Campus Homophobia
LGBTIQ+ students at North-West University’s (NWU) Potchefstroom campus were left fearing for their safety after a Pride Flag mural was defaced with a homophobic slur. The graffiti, which read “Fck the fgs” alongside a cross, reflects an ongoing climate of hostility and discrimination against queer students. The attack followed a 2023 vandalism of the same mural and the 2024 suspension of a student who disrupted an LGBTIQ+-affirming orientation event. OUT LGBT Well-being condemned the defacement as a “painful message of exclusion,” calling on universities to take stronger action to protect queer students. The university swiftly began restoring the mural and promised an investigation, but as of mid-October 2025, no suspects have been identified.
Another Wits LGBTQ+ Student Survives Grindr-Related Assault
A Wits University student survived a violent attack after being lured by a perpetrator through Grindr, marking the latest in a string of crimes targeting queer men via dating apps in Johannesburg. The student was strangled, tied up, and robbed in Jeppestown after meeting a man who used the names “Nkosinathi” or “Lihle.” The incident comes as the Grindr Gang 7 trial is set to resume in November. In that case, seven men are accused of luring a Wits University student into a fake date via the dating app in September 2023. The Wits LGBTQ+ society, Activate, called for a total boycott of Grindr, accusing the app of failing to protect users and demanding stronger safety features such as identity verification and in-app emergency alerts. National LGBTQ+ organisations have also urged SAPS to coordinate investigations into these syndicates and implement the Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act.
Increase in Grindr Gang attacks in Nelson Mandela Bay
IOL reported a spike in Grindr-related attacks in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, where criminals are also using the dating app to lure, assault, and extort gay and bisexual men. In the latest case, a Walmer resident was violently attacked, abducted, and robbed after agreeing to meet a man he met on Grindr. “The fear is still with me every single day,” the survivor said. “I don’t feel safe anymore … I’m scared.” Police have confirmed at least two other similar cases in July and September, all following the same pattern of victims being ambushed during meetups arranged through the app, being driven to the Schauderville area and then assaulted and forced to withdraw money.
South African Musician Fuels Transphobic Misinformation Online
South African musician David Scott, known as The Kiffness, came under fire for spreading transphobic misinformation on social media, aligning himself with a growing wave of right-wing narratives that falsely link transgender people to mass shootings in the United States. Responding to online commentary about the recent assassination of American right-wing figure Charlie Kirk, Scott suggested a connection between the incident and so-called “trans ideology,” despite there being no evidence to support this claim. In reality, data from the Gun Violence Archive shows that transgender people account for only 0.17% of mass shootings in the US, while being four times more likely to be victims of crime themselves.
Cape Town Trans Woman Battles for Bathroom Rights in Equality Court
Cape Town transgender activist Jackye Majawie continued her nearly three-year battle for justice in the Equality Court after being publicly humiliated and denied access to a women’s bathroom at the Golden Acre shopping centre in March 2023. A cleaner allegedly told her she was “not a woman,” mocked her in front of others, and instructed her to use the men’s bathroom. Majawie, who has fully transitioned, described the incident as deeply traumatic and degrading, saying it left her feeling unsafe in public spaces. She has taken legal action against the cleaning company and its employee, seeking compensation, a public apology, and mandatory LGBTIQ+ sensitisation training for staff. The court’s decision is expected on 23 October 2025.
Pretoria Clinic Forced to Relocate Amid Trans Bathroom Access Row
The Aurum Institute’s Pop Inn clinic in Pretoria, which provides essential healthcare services for transgender people, was forced to relocate after facing alleged discrimination from its landlord, Strive Property Specialists. In March 2024, threatening posters targeting transgender women were found in the shared women’s bathrooms at the Loftus Park premises, but no action was reportedly taken by the landlord. Aurum later alleged that Strive sought to restrict transgender clients’ access to women’s toilets and suggested they use portable toilets in the parking lot. The situation escalated when Strive refused to renew Aurum’s lease in 2025, which the organisation believes was retaliation for defending trans clients’ rights. Strive denied the allegations of discrimination and claimed the lease termination was a commercial decision. The relocation resulted in Aurum having to retrench staff to cover associated costs.
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.
