A 25 year old man, Thando Mgenge, has been arrested for the murder of Sphamandla Khoza, who was an openly gay man.
Mgenge handed himself over to the police and was remanded in custody after he appeared at Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The late Sphamandla was a call centre agent and lived on Ntuzuma, KZN, with his grandmother, Phumelele Khoza.
Writing on Facebook, his cousin, Ndumiso Daluxolo Ngidi, said:
My cousin, Sphamandla Khoza was attacked and murdered by men he knew, who grew up and lived with him in the same neighborhood.
They ganged up on him, stabbed him repeatedly while he was out having fun in one house in the neighborhood.
Not only did they murder him, they threw his lifeless body in a sewerage manhole.
Balahla umzimba wakhe estamkokweni. They took off his shoes and placed them in front of the gate at his home. Basically they were putting him in a grave and used his shoes as a form of trophy.
If it wasn’t for blood trails leading to where they dumped his body and curious people who followed this blood trail, we would have never found his body.
All this happens after they insulted him about his sexuality. They treated him worse than a stray animal. I am angry. I am hurt. Such a beautiful life lost all because of hate.
Sphamandla ‘s father, Emmanuel Nkosinathi was present at court.
Sphamandla’ s sister, Pamela, told the Sunday Times newspaper that gay people are being accepted in their homes, and the community must not expect them to hide themselves.
Please read the full story in today’s Sunday Times Newspaper – 11 April 2021.
