There are still many unanswered questions one year after Imam Muhsin Hendricks, who was SA’s first openly gay imam, was shot in cold blood in Bethelsdorp, Eastern Cape, on 15 February, 2025.
Security footage shared online shows a silver Hilux double cab blocking Hendricks while he sat in his VW T-Roc.
A man, appearing to wear a hoodie, jumped out of the Hilux, ran to his car, and fired multiple shots into the vehicle. He then ran back to the Hilux, which sped away.
The chilling crime sent shockwaves through the country and around the world.
Police have still made no arrests, fueling fears for queer communities that authorities are mishandling LGBTQI+ cases.
ALSO READ: Gay imam Muhsin Hendricks’ murder sends shockwaves through country
Hendricks case not cold
On Wednesday, police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed to The Citizen that the case remains open.
“We confirm that the investigation into the murder of Muhsin Hendriks remains active and is being rigorously pursued by our detectives.”
This update contradicts what Deputy Minister Andries Nel initially said two days after the murder. He claimed police were ‘hot on the heels’ of the killers, but the investigation has since stalled.
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Leads?
Mawisa did not provide The Citizen with the progress on potential leads and video evidence analysis.
“As this is an ongoing investigation, it is not standard practice for us to disclose specific operational details.”
This includes “the exact progress status, whether specific individuals are being investigated, or the nature of current leads,” she said.
The South African Police Service (Saps) also confirmed that no recent updates have been provided to the family.
“The investigating detective has not provided recent updates to the family, as there are no substantial new developments to report at this stage.
“The team remains committed to resolving the case and will engage with the family once there is concrete progress to share.”
ALSO READ: Muhsin Hendricks, world’s ‘first openly gay imam’, shot dead [VIDEO]
A ‘hate crime’?
It is believed the attack was targeted and may have been a hate crime, motivated by Hendricks’ activism for LGBT rights, religious tolerance, and inclusivity in faith.
Due to a lack of evidence, Saps says that it is still premature to call the attack a hate crime.
However, Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, stated that the killing must be investigated as a hate crime.
Hendricks’ family confirmed to the media last year that he had regularly received death threats before his murder.
ALSO READ: Centre for Contemporary Islam calls out Muslims for hate speech over gay imam Hendricks
Lack of action upsets queer community
MambaOnline, an online platform for the LGBTIQ+ community in Southern Africa, said that the lack of resolution is worrisome.
“If justice does not arrive for a high-profile and internationally recognised figure like Imam Muhsin Hendricks, what does that mean for the rest of us?”
According to them, the Board of the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, the organisation Imam Hendricks led, said the lack of response is painful and frustrating.
“It reinforces the dangerous idea that it is acceptable to kill queer Muslims and that it is acceptable to celebrate the death of a life,” the board said.
MambaOnline reached out to the National Task Team (NTT) and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJCD) for clarity on the status of the case.
Both emphasised that only Saps can provide such.
“It is not within the mandate of the DOJCD or the NTT to provide updates at this stage. The Saps remain the lead authority and best placed to communicate any developments,” they told MambaOnline.
For queer communities, the one-year anniversary is particularly heavy.
“Justice delayed does not only deny closure. It erodes confidence in systems meant to protect,” they said.
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