By Tamara Alfred
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
South Africa – The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in South Africa is accusing authorities of failing to properly investigate the deaths of five gay men. Local media outlets have suggested that the men are the victims of a homophobic serial killer.
Homophobia is widespread in South Africa, despite its liberal laws. South Africa’s constitution specifically prohibits discrimination against homosexuals and lesbians; and is the only African nation to have legalized gay marriage. And yet, according to The Star, a Johannesburg newspaper, there have been a large number of murders of gay men and women in South Africa this year, with potentially five gay men killed in Johannesburg in the past 18 months, according to The Star.
In a statement, the CGE condemned the killings as well as official delays in finding the perpetrators.
“As enshrined in our Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered and inter-sexed people (LGBTI) have the same rights just like everyone else. The continual hatred and kills of LGBTI people is [a] violation of [the] founding provision of the South African Constitution which [is] equality and human dignity. Such horrendous deeds are not only meant to rob society and the families of good people who do not [deserve] to go through these gruesome acts but shows that some in our society are very intolerant and unable to appreciate the diverse society that we live in.”
“The Commission is also concerned about the long delays in cases relating to this issue. CGE views these acts as criminal acts and the perpetrators deserve to face the full might of the law,” said Javu Baloyi, a spokesman for the CGE, in a statement to The Huffington Post. “It is our firm belief that the Department of Constitutional Development and Department of Justice have to come to the party by ensuring that gay people receive the necessary attention and that these murders are properly investigated.”
The victims were all in their 30s. Each was found bound and strangled, according to The Star.
The first victim, 36-year-old Jim Cathels, was found dead in his home in December 2010.
Approximately six months later, in June 2011, Reno Oscar O’Hara, 33, was found dead in the home of Ivan Vladislavic, a South African short story author and novelist. O’Hara had been housesitting for the author, who discovered him upon his return from a trip to the United Kingdom.
On September 11, Siphiwe Selby Nhlapo, 36, was found in his apartment.
The fourth victim, 39-year-old Barney van Heerden, was found in his home on September 19.
In addition to being bound and strangled, Heeden’s killer also poured acid on the body after death. While some forensic specialists think that the killer may have been attempting to destroy DNA evidence, Washington, D.C.-based criminal profiler Pat Brown told The Huffington Post that she thought it was more likely an experiment in torture.
A fifth victim is believed to have also been found, though the identity of the man is still unconfirmed.
There were no signs of forced entry in any of the cases. In Heerden’s case, police found half-full glasses of wine on the kitchen table, leading them to believe that Heerden may have known his attacker.
Because of sexual orientation of the victims and the fact that they used Internet dating websites, local activists and media outlets suggest that a serial killer may be responsible. The South African Police Service, however, is not so sure. Speaking with Looklocal News, spokesperson Lt. Col. Lungile Dlamini said that the murders are being investigated as individual cases.
“We have excluded robbery as a motive, but, at this stage, there is no further information that may suggest that the incidents are the work of a serial killer. Police are still following leads to identify suspects,” Dlamini said.
However, the CGE still believes that the police are too slow in investigating the crimes, specifically because of the sexual orientation of the victims. CGE spokesman Javu Baloyi told the BBC, “[These] cases take too long, even if there is compelling evidence of hate crimes. We [in South Africa] have got one of the best constitutions. Yet, people have got deep-rooted hatred for gays and lesbians.”
Dlamini also denied the allegations. “We investigate each case based on the evidence from the scene and the information at our disposal. We don’t place greater or less importance on any case. We work with the information we can gather.”
Brown disagrees. “There is unquestionably a serial killer loose in South Africa – at least one,” said Brown. “Since there are Internet dating sites involved, no signs of breaking or entering, wine on the table, no items of major value missing and no sign of a struggle prior to the binding, we can eliminate burglary or hate killing as the motive….This is a serial killer who likes to watch his victims die…”
For more information, please see:
International Business Times – Activists fear serial killer targeting gay men in Johannesburg, South Africa – 7 October 2011
The Huffington Post – South Africa ignoring a serial killer targeting gay men? – 7 October 2011
thejournal.ie – Gender group condemns South African ‘gay slayings’ – 7 October 2011
BBC News – South Africa call to solve gay ‘serial killings’ – 6 October 2011
