The gruesome rape and murder of a 21-year-old woman who was found with her throat and stomach slit in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, on Sunday, has left the public reeling in shock after it emerged that the victim was part of the LGBTQIA community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning one’s sexual or gender identity, intersex, and asexual/aromantic/agender).
KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Mrs Nonhlanhla Khoza, reacted in distress at the shocking murder and has urged South Africans to stand side by side to protect the LGBTQIA+ community from abuse and murder.
Anele Bhengu was found dumped after she was allegedly raped, stabbed, her throat slit and stomach cut open.
According to the Department of Social Development, the brutal murder of Bhengu at KwaMakhutha, has sparked more fears with the gay and lesbian community as they increasingly becoming targets of homophobia. It is believed that Bhengu was murdered after her friend fetched her from home.
MEC Khoza sent her heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the Bhengu family following their loss.
Reacting to the latest murder, MEC Khoza said the increasing incidents of murders of LGBTQIA+ in the province were disgusting and shocking. She said it was clear that more needed to be done to stop hate crimes.
“The brutal murder of this child is symptomatic of the challenges we have in the society. We are left in shock and fear by the killing of our children in this province,” she said.
She added that such incidents were setting the country backwards.
“Our Constitution was the first in the world to protect people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation. We also became the first in the African continent to legalize same-sex marriages, but we still experience these murders and abuses,” said MEC Khoza.
She said although the government and different activities continues to fight the scourge of these murders, some communities continue to discriminate against some people based on their sexual orientation.
“We all have a responsibility to end these violent crimes in the province. We need to get to the bottom of this as to why people have so much hatred towards the LGBTQIA+ community. We call on all citizens to work with the law enforcement agencies, government and different bodies to end such cruelty,” said MEC Khoza.
MEC Khoza has assembled a team of social workers to meet with the Bhengu family to offer them counselling.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Thembeka Mbele said: “A case of murder was opened at KwaMakhutha police station for investigation.
It is alleged that on 13 June 2021 at 07:00, police received a complaint of a murder at Hill area in KwaMakhutha and responded to the scene. A body of a 21-year-old woman was found with multiple stab wounds on the body. The motive for the killing is unknown. The matter is still under investigation.”
