A 22-year-old South African crossdresser identified as Syabonga Clement Hadebe, has been brutally murdered by unknown assailants.
According to reports, Hadebe was shot nine times while walking home in Malvern, Johannesburg.
His lifeless body was found by the police with multiple gunshot wounds on Saturday, 10 August 2024. Cartridges were found on the scene, and Clement was declared dead.
Women For Change advocacy group in a statement on Saturday, 24 August 2024, said the deceased identified as a trans woman and had recently started transitioning.
Local media reports indicate Hadebe, who is from KwaZulu-Natal province, was at a popular outing area in Johannesburg on the night of 9 August with a friend when they began to interact with the alleged male shooter who was showing interest in them, especially Hadebe.
It was reported that before they decided to leave with the alleged shooter, Hadebe’s friend asked him to disclose he was a gay crossdresser but he did not follow his friend’s advice.
They, however, left with the alleged shooter, who didn’t want to go with Hadebe’s friend to the B&B. The friend was later dropped off, and Hadebe and the alleged shooter were left alone.
Sibonelo Ncanana, civil society engagement officer for OUT LGBT Well-being, an LGBTQ advocacy group, in a statement, said the organisation “is appalled by the murder of Clement as well as the queerphobic victim-blaming sensationalism surrounding his death.
“Victim-blaming is never acceptable. The notion that LGBTIQ+ people are hiding who they are when they are simply being themselves is deeply concerning. Our identity is not something that requires disclosure.”
Ncanana said OUT LGBT Well-being will closely follow the investigation into the murder and called upon law enforcement officials to ensure there is justice for Hadebe.
Eighteen-Eleven Media