The community of KwaXimba, in Catoridge north of Durban, is reeling in shock following the brutal killing of 19-year-old Sibongimpilo Mzobe, affectionately known as “Shana”.
Mzobe, who was openly gay, was murdered and his body was found with multiple wounds along the river in the area.
Some of his body parts were missing.
According to reports, his attacker lured him from his home and he never came back.
Mzobe’s close friend Sinethemba Dlamini says the untimely death of his friend has left him devastated.
“It is a very tragic accident that happened and I would just say it something that never happened in this place. This community is in between two amakhosi/s, the Inkosi of Ximba and Mdluli. And it something that never happened between the communities fo these amakhosi, this is a friendly gay community and it never happened even now.”
Some community members suspect that Mzobe’s murder could be a hate crime, Dlamini says he doesn’t believe his friend’s sexual orientation was the motivation for his killing.
“The death is not related to gay hate or homophobia and I assume there was something that was related to their matters. Everybody human being has personal matters and challenges. So, I dispute that he was killed because he is gay, there is no such. The community has accepted us as we are.”
Meanwhile, local community leader Wiseman Mhlanzi has called for calm.
“As local leaders we call on people to calm and let the law enforcement agencies to deal wit the matter. We wish that izinduna, both amakhosi an religious leaders to stand up and fight against incidents of this nature.”
