Joburg Murder Sparks Transphobic Victim Blaming

The horrific murder of Clement Hadebe, a queer individual in Johannesburg, has sparked a flood of hateful, victim-blaming transphobic bigotry on social media.

Reports of Hadebe’s death, believed to be a hate crime, went viral on Facebook on Monday, seemingly stemming from an initial article published by Moja Love’s ZiMoja website.

The report stated that Hadebe’s body had been found at a Johannesburg bed and breakfast last week. Hadebe, who hailed from KwaZulu-Natal, was allegedly shot multiple times by a man they had met earlier at the Kwa Mai Mai Market in the CBD.

Friends reportedly believed that Hadebe had been killed after the man “discovered” their “true gender” after taking Hadebe to the bed and breakfast. 

MambaOnline contacted the SAPS for more information about the appalling crime, but Gauteng spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza provided few details. She stated that Cleveland Police are investigating a murder case “following an incident which took place… on 10 August 2024.”

Colonel Kweza added: “Police responded to a shooting incident at Jules and 23rd Street in Malvern, where they found the victim lying in a pool of blood with multiple gunshot wounds.

“Cartridges were found at the scene, and the victim was declared deceased on the spot. The motive for the murder is unknown at this stage.”

Transphobic Victim-Blaming Narrative

Under the transphobic headline “Killed for not being a woman,” the ZiMoja article implied that Hadebe may have been at least partly to blame for their death because they may have “deceived” the killer. The article appears to have since been changed to be less offensive.

IOL’s version of the story was headlined: “A simple ‘I am gay’ would have saved his life’: Gay man, thought to be a woman, shot dead at Joburg bed and breakfast.”

Many subsequent posts on social media continued to spread the victim-blaming sentiment, as did a large number of comments which in some cases even condoned the deadly violence. 

“Gay people should learn to disclose their sexuality before anything, especially the ones that look like females, to avoid such,” said one Facebook user. Another wrote, “Not disclosing your newfound identity to your new partner is diabolical.”

One person shockingly stated that the alleged killer “did the right thing… you can’t make me a fool and think I’ll just accept it.”

LGBTIQ+ reality TV celebrity Mohale Motaung, however, spoke out against these disturbing views. “It’s important to remember that no one is obligated to disclose their sex or gender identity, especially in situations where they might feel unsafe. Self-disclosure should be a choice, not a condition for safety,” he tweeted.

Colonel Kweza was unable to provide any further information surrounding Clement Hadebe’s murder but did confirm that no arrests have been made.