Nkanyiso Mbhele was shot dead following a brawl at a local tavern.
- A 27-year-old man was shot and killed in Umthwalume, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday 26 May.
- Before his killing, Nkanyiso Mbhele was allegedly involved in a fight with men who called him gay at a tavern not far from his home.
- Hibberdene police are investigating a case of murder.
The family of Nkanyiso Mbhele, 27, who was killed following a drunken brawl in the Umthwalume area, in the south of KwaZulu-Natal, has described the manner in which he died as devastating.
According to his sister, Aphiwe Cele, Mbhele had gone to a tavern to purchase liquor on Friday 26 May, when a group of men teased him about his sexuality claiming he was gay.
Cele told News24 that her family had received a detailed account of the deadly night from friends with whom Mbhele spent his last night.
She said her brother felt humiliated when he was called gay, and he responded to the man who insulted him.
“The man together with his friends then hit Nkanyiso, but he fought back and defeated them even though they were ganging up on him,” she alleged.
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Cele said she was told that as Nkanyiso left the tavern, the men who attacked him threatened him by saying he was going to pay for embarrassing them in public.
“He returned to his rented apartment and joined a neighbour and friends at a unit nearby. He then told them about what had occurred,” Cele said.
“During load shedding at about 23:00, Nkanyiso left his neighbour’s unit to head to his apartment, telling them that he would return briefly.
“However, as Nkanyiso closed his door, a gunman attempted to follow him inside. He tried to force the man out by using the door from inside to push him out, but the man shot at him and he died instantly,” an emotional Cele said.
It’s understood that Mbhele’s killer is still at large.
Nkanyiso Mbhele, 27, during happier times.
Supplied
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, KZN police spokesperson, said they were still investigating.
“It is alleged that the victim’s body was found lying next to the entrance of his rented residence.”
He added: “A report indicates that the victim succumbed to severe gunshot wounds and was declared dead on scene.”
Cele said they were also offended on behalf of Mbhele, as he had never come out to them that he was gay.
She said:
He had a six-year-old daughter. He was not gay.
Cele said her brother was buried on Sunday.
He leaves behind his mother, Lindeni, one sister, and a daughter.
A neighbour described his death as a loss to the community.
“He worked for an NGO and was involved in a series of youth empowerment programmes through the arts and entertainment,” the neighbour said.
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LGBTQIA+ community condemns incident
Sazi Jali, from gay rights organisation Trans-hope, condemned the murder, saying it highlights “the persistent attacks on people identifying as gay or those perceived to be homosexual”.
He told News24 that the Ugu district, in the south of KZN, was a great area of concern for them as it was not the first that a “homophobic attack” took place.
“We hope the police will categorise the attack as a hate crime and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable,” she said.