NEWS FLASH

Gay South African Man Brutally Murdered And Nearly Decapitated In Hate Crime | Thapelo Makutle, a 23-year-old man who was well-known in his community for participating in LGBT events, was brutally murdered in a homophobic attack in Kuruman, a town on the Northern Cape of South Africa, this past weekend. After he was assaulted at work because of his sexuality and appearance, his two attackers are believed to have followed him home on Saturday and murdered him by slitting his throat. Makutle, an openly gay and transgender man, was a frequent volunteer at a lobby group called LEGBO, which provides support against stigmatization and health training for rural LGBT communities. “We have lost a young, talented, gay man who was open about who he was. The last few days have been like a dark cloud,” said Shaine Griqua, the director of LEGBO Northern Cape. The man’s killers are still at large.

–Angela Guo