South Africa: Teenage ‘corrective rape’ victim found murdered

An eighteen-year-old lesbian was the victim of “corrective rape”, before she was strangled to death.

According to reports, Gift Makau was found dead in Tshing on Friday. She was raped before being strangled with wire and a shoelace. A hosepipe had also been forced into her mouth, reports the Times.

A 24-year-old man was arrested and will appear today in Magistrate’s Court, police have said.

The family of Makau, who were aware of her sexuality, were devastated by the news, and said she had never been harassed before.

She was well known in her community for playing football.

Jabu Pereira, director of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex human rights organisation Iranti-org, said: “These heinous crimes have to end.

“Our government must invest in public education programmes aimed at changing public attitudes.”