Outrage as Kwakhanya Hlanganisa's murder case faces yet another delay

Emotions ran high outside the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Thursday as family, friends, and supporters of Kwakhanya Hlanganisa expressed their grief and frustration.

The case has been postponed for the fourth time, now scheduled for May 7, 2026, following 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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