Grief, anger, and frustration lingered outside the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court as family, friends, and supporters of Kwakhanya Hlanganisa left broken-hearted on Thursday after the case was postponed for a fourth time, and now to May 7, 2026.

This follows the accused’s decision to abandon their bail application.

Kwakhanya, a 16-year-old gay teenager, was brutally murdered on December 7, 2025. More than a month later, his family and the LGBTQIA+ community continue to face a justice system riddled with delays.

The case, which had already been postponed three times, returned to court on January 15 after earlier postponements due to a missing docket and a change in the investigating officer. On Thursday, it was postponed once more, this time for more than three months.

Speaking to IOL outside the court, Kwakhanya’s father, Sicelo Maki, said he was confused and deeply disappointed by the latest development.

“Last week, we met with the station commanders and the NPA, and we were assured that the case would continue no matter what and that the docket would be available,” Maki said. “But today it is something else. We were told that the two accused abandoned their bail application, and once again, there was no docket.”

Maki said his concern has grown, particularly because the case proceeded despite the docket not being in court.

“I am worried about whether my family will get justice when we come back here again,” he said.

Several organisations, including Khulani Khayelitsha Queer Hub, Triangle Project, and Free Gender, attended court in solidarity, calling for justice for Kwakhanya and accountability from the criminal justice system.

Sibusiso Nqunqeka, from the Khulani Khayelitsha Queer Hub, said the decision by the accused to abandon their bail application raised serious concerns.

“We believe it is possible that the accused were advised to abandon the bail application — either for their own safety or to tire us out,” Nqunqeka said.

“Even though this postponement is frustrating, we are determined to keep fighting for justice for Kwakhanya. We will not stop until we get it.”

Nqunqeka added that members of the LGBTQIA+ community have not felt safe since the killing. He said several Hub members have received death threats from unknown individuals, and that the repeated delays have left the community in a constant state of fear.

“We know that we are being watched. We know that there are people protecting the perpetrators,” he said.

“Even though there are only two accused right now, we believe there are more people involved who are living among us in our communities.”

He said the organisation plans to request another meeting with the NPA and the station commander to demand answers about the missing docket and to ensure the case is handled properly.

“We don’t understand why the docket was not in court today,” Nqunqeka said. “After our meeting, we were assured it would be available. Today it wasn’t, yet the case continued. Previously, we were told the case could not proceed without it. If the magistrate had decided to dismiss the case today, where would that leave us?”

Free Gender Founder Funeka Soldaat said crimes motivated by homophobia remain prevalent across the Western Cape, particularly in townships and informal settlements, where there is limited understanding of gender and sexual diversity.

“If the investigating officer does not understand hate crimes, it becomes a serious problem,” Soldaat said.

“They won’t be able to ask the right questions. That is our fear, especially when we look at how similar cases have been handled in the past. The system does not recognise the importance of identifying hate as a motivating factor in cases of rape and murder.”

She said the brutality of the crime points to hatred as a motive.

“He was burned, and his eyes were taken out by people he did not know,” Soldaat said. “A crime like that cannot be unmotivated by hate.”

Despite the disappointment surrounding the postponement, some organisations expressed relief that the accused were not granted bail.

“One of our main calls was for the bail application to be denied,” said Triangle Project community engagement officer Vinolia Sidukwana.

“Although we are relieved, we are not fully satisfied because the accused can still apply for bail at a later stage. We need to remain vigilant.”

Sidukwana said the organisation hopes that further investigations will take place before the case resumes.

“We believe there are more people involved. We hope that everyone who played a role in this crime will be identified and held accountable.”

lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za

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