A tragic murder on Friday ended the life of transgender and gay, Thapelo Makutle, who was also winner of the Miss Gay beauty pageant. The victim was found in his rented room with his throat slit.
According to reports, Thapelo Makutle was a 23-year-old man from Kuruman, Northern Cape, and was attacked at his place of work in the John Taolo Gaetsewe district. It is being speculated that two men followed and killed Makutle.
Thapelo Makutle had gotten into an argument with two hetreosexual men over his sexuality and the argument got so bad that those men followed Makutle to the place where he was staying and ended his life.
Makutle’s body was found the next morning and according to some sources, his genitals had been ripped apart and were stuffed in his mouth.
The police are looking for the two men in connection to the case.
Thapelo Makutle was known as Queen Bling in his community. He was quite an active member in the LGBT community in the Kuruman. Shaine Griqua, Makutle’s friend and director of Legbo Northern Cape, a non-profit that provides sexual health education, told reporters that Griqua was a dear friend who was gay and had also recently started calling himself transgender.
Griqua also said that sexuality-related hate crimes were on the rise in South Africa and recently a lesbian had also been attacked at a bar. Even though the woman was badly attacked, she asked not to press charges, as she did not want to involve her family into the matter.
Thapelo Makutle was also a volunteer for Legbo Northern Cape and used to provide support for LGBT persons in the rural community. His funeral will be held on Saturday.
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