By Kaya 959 News
The man arrested in connection with the death of KwaZulu-Natal lesbian, Anele Bhengu, has appeared in court.
Thulani Nandos Cele appeared in the Umbumbulu Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder and assault GBH yesterday.
KZN National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Natasha Kara, said Cele is due back in court on 30 June where he is expected to apply for bail.
Bhengu’s mutilated body was discovered in a field on the Durban south coast two weeks ago.
She had allegedly been raped and stabbed several times. Her throat and stomach were also slit.
Cele was arrested after police received information about his whereabouts.
READ: The country’s LGBTQIA+ community left reeling after second gay murder
Police nabbed suspect in Gcilima
Police said a team went to Gcilima where they arrested the 39-year-old despite his attempts to flee.
Her brutal murder sparked more fears within the gay and lesbian community as they are increasingly becoming targets of homophobia around the province, with Durban becoming a hotspot.
KZN Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, said although the government and different activities continue to fight the scourge of these murders, some communities continue to discriminate against some people based on their sexual orientation.
“We all have a responsibility to end these violent crimes in the province. We need to get to the bottom of this as to why people have so much hatred towards the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said.
Khoza said the government has repeatedly condemned attacks and violation of LGBTQIA+ rights as acts of gross criminality and are against the ethos of the country’s democracy.
“We call on our communities to assist in intelligence gathering, which may assist in reducing the incidence of violent crimes directed at the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said.
KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala condemned crimes against the LGBTQIA+ community.
“The youth of 1976 did not pay the ultimate price for our society to harm and discriminate against women and people with different sexual orientations,” he said.



