For 25 years, MambaOnline has been a lifeline for LGBTQ+ people in South Africa and beyond. We are the country’s consistently longest-running independent queer media platform — informing, connecting, and empowering our community in the face of discrimination, violence, and erasure.
We’ve been awarded Media of the Year and the Simon Nkoli Award by the Feather Awards in recognition of our work. We are also a member of South Africa’s Press Council, the Association of Independent Publishers and Pan Africa ILGA.
At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under renewed and coordinated attack — locally and globally — independent queer journalism is not a luxury. It is essential.
MambaOnline reports fearlessly on hate crimes, human rights violations, healthcare access, and political threats affecting LGBTQ+ lives. Our reporting holds authorities accountable, challenges misinformation, and is used by activists and human rights organisations to demand change in South Africa and internationally. We also tell the stories that remind us why visibility matters: queer joy, resilience, culture, and achievement.
This work is done by a two-person core team, supported by unpaid contributors across the country. It often means late nights, limited resources, and covering deeply traumatic stories — because silence is not an option.
The reality is stark.
More than 30 African countries still criminalise LGBTQ+ people. Even in South Africa, where equality is enshrined in law, queer lives are under pressure from hate crimes and a growing global right-wing backlash targeting human rights, bodily autonomy, and freedom of expression.
A study by OUT LGBT Well-being found that 55% of LGBTI+ South Africans under the age of 25 had endured verbal insults at school, 35% had been threatened with violence, 18% had been punched, hit or kicked, and 11% had been sexually abused or raped.
In addition, 44% of LGBTI+ South Africans said that they had experienced some form of discrimination in the previous 24 months, with 39% being the target of verbal insults, 17% having been chased or followed, and 13% having experienced physical violence, sexual assault or rape.
International funding cuts — including those driven by the Trump administration — have already devastated LGBTQ+ community organisations and limited access to accurate, life-saving health information.
Independent queer media comes at a cost.
For many young LGBTQ+ South Africans, MambaOnline is a first point of access to information about identity, safety, health, and support. When reliable queer media disappears, misinformation fills the gap — with dangerous consequences.
With limited corporate funding and advertising available to LGBTQ+ platforms, MambaOnline survives because of community support. Your donation — whether once-off or monthly — directly sustains journalism that informs, protects, and empowers queer people.
Your support helps us to:
Your contribution is more than a donation.
It is an act of solidarity.
It is an investment in truth, dignity, and equality.
No amount is too small. Every contribution helps ensure that LGBTQ+ lives are seen, valued, and defended.
