South Africa LGBTIQ+ Rights Watch: December 2025
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, it is important to remember that many incidents go unreported or are not identified as hate crimes.
Below is our summary for December 2025.
Khayelitsha Teen Kwakhanya Mhlanganisi Killed in an Alleged Hate Crime
A 16-year-old Cape Town LGBTIQ+ teenager, Kwakhanya Mhlanganisi, was killed on the 3rd of December 2025 in what community members believed to have been a homophobic hate crime, prompting widespread outrage. Police confirmed that the learner was attacked and killed in Site C, Khayelitsha, with reports indicating that he had been targeted, assaulted and set alight after being verbally abused with homophobic slurs. The killing occurred during the 16 Days of Activism campaign, underscoring ongoing violence against LGBTIQ+ people in South Africa. A 17-year-old suspect was arrested, while residents and activists rallied outside the court demanding accountability. Civil society organisations across the Western Cape condemned the murder and criticised the authorities for failing to adequately protect queer lives.
Child Mocked by Pastor in Faith-Based Conversion Practice Video
A widely shared TikTok video involving Prophet David Uche from Midrand sparked public outrage after it showed a child being publicly humiliated and subjected to what activists described as a faith-based conversion practice. In the video, the pastor mocked the child’s gender expression, framed perceived queerness as demonic, and conducted a coercive prayer ritual, while the child’s mother appeared to endorse the intervention out of fear and misinformation. Civil society groups and human rights advocates argued that the incident constituted psychological abuse, hate speech, and an attempt to suppress or erase a child’s identity, in violation of constitutional protections and the best interests of the child.
Renaldo Gouws Raised Money to Send Queer Person to Gaza
The LGBTIQ+ community was subjected to a stunt by social media figure and former politician Renaldo Gouws, who launched a BackaBuddy campaign to raise funds to send a queer activist to Gaza. The campaign sought to mock LGBTIQ+ people who expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. Former Mr Gay World South Africa Louw Breytenbach condemned the stunt as deliberate “rage bait” that weaponised the LGBTIQ+ community and trivialised human rights abuses. While the campaign attracted financial support from several donors, a complaint by MambaOnline led to BackaBuddy suspending the campaign.
“Corrective Rape” Hate Crime Case Shakes Eastern Cape
A suspected hate crime involving the alleged “corrective rape” of a young lesbian woman in Ngqeleni, Eastern Cape, highlighted the ongoing vulnerability of LGBTIQ+ people to sexual violence and discrimination. The survivor was allegedly raped in October 2025 by a man known to her, who was arrested and charged with rape, with the offence identified as a hate crime linked to her sexual orientation. As the accused’s bail application continued in December, the State opposed bail, citing serious concerns for the survivor’s safety and broader community risk. LGBTIQ+ activists, supported by Access Chapter 2, mobilised community action and submitted a petition to the court opposing the accused’s release, which was formally entered into the bail proceedings.
Gay Former Employee Alleges Homophobic Bullying at Eastern Cape Checkers
A former gay employee of a Checkers store in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape alleged that he was subjected to sustained homophobic bullying, harassment and humiliation by managers. This included the use of slurs and sexually derogatory remarks, which he said forced him to resign. The employee stated that internal reporting mechanisms failed to address the abuse. The matter was referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where a formal case was opened. Checkers denied receiving formal complaints through its grievance channels and stated that it did not tolerate unfair discrimination. The first CCMA hearing in October 2025 did not proceed after Checkers failed to attend. At the time of reporting, the case was set to proceed to arbitration in January 2026.
South Africa Unveiled First Chemsex Guidelines
South Africa introduced its first national harm-reduction guidelines on chemsex in a move aimed at reducing stigma, discrimination and health risks faced by LGBTIQ+ people, particularly gay and bisexual men and transgender women. The South African Harm Reduction Guidelines for Chemsex provided a non-judgemental framework for healthcare workers and community organisations to respond to chemsex without moral policing, addressing risks such as overdose, HIV and STI transmission, sexual violence and mental-health challenges. By promoting respectful, stigma-free care, informed consent and safer-use practices, the guidelines sought to improve access to healthcare and encourage individuals to seek help without fear of discrimination.
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.
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