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The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development acknowledges with great shock the reported “assassination” of Muhsin Hendricks, a South African Islamic scholar who has often been described as the world’s first openly gay Imam. He is reported to have been killed on the morning of 15 February 2025, in the city of Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The motive for the killing remains under investigation.

The Department acknowledges in memorial Muhsin Hendricks’ enduring activism through his work with interfaith communities around the world and his independent research on Islam and sexual diversity.

The Department recognises Muhsin Hendricks’ contribution to the purpose of the National Intervention Strategy (NIS) on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) with the most recent being his valuable participation at the November 2024, 31st International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) World Conference, held in Cape Town.

The Department calls for continued efforts in upholding our Constitutional values and ensuring a society where no one is unfairly discriminated directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.

In giving effect to the Constitutional values, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is, in terms of the (NIS) on SOGIESC matters, the accountable agency for the strategy. The strategy is set in place, with a multi- stakeholder governance structure, to respond to and advocate for human rights related to sexual orientation, gender identity, expression and sex characteristics issues.

The strategy further responds to matters of hate crimes. One of the key governance structures of the NIS is the National Rapid Response Task Team (RRT) that meets on a monthly basis. In this forum, the South African Police Service provides updates on the status of any pending hate crime cases. Upon any information received that this is a case of a hate crime, the Department commits to track and monitor that justice is dispensed with in this case.

Issued by Department of Justice and Constitutional Development