According to Ndumie Funda, director of Luleki Sizwe, an organization that assists young lesbian victims of so called ‘corrective rape’ a young South African lesbian was murdered by a group of gangsters.

Sihle Skotshi, was a soccer player who was only 19 years-old when she was murdered.

Skotshi was one of the girls in the group assited by the Luleki Sizwe organization.

The attack occurred on the 9 November at Cosovo an informal settlement in Phillipi, a township of Cape Town.

According to an eye witness interviewed by Funda, Skotshi along with two of her women friends left a tavern where they were drinking to pick up more money at home of one of the girls.

Upon arriving five or more men confronted and started cursing them saying: ‘Ayo ndawo yenu le, yindawo yamaVura’ (this is not your place, it is amavura’s place) (Amavura is the gang that is known and feared in the area).

The men attacked them, and pulled out a mini spear stabbing Skotshi in the chest.

One of her friends attempted to intervene and got stabbed in her arm, whilst the other friend ran for help.

Skotshi was hospitalized but died shortly after. According to the report Skotshi told her friend before she died: ‘Please apologize for me to my mother, and I love you all’.

The two young women had to return home to the township where the attack too place, fearing further attacks.

Skotshi’s brutal murder is the latest in a spate of killings and ‘corrective rapes’ targeting lesbians in South Africa.

Skotshi was described by Funda ‘a friendly young woman to those who knew her; she was a soccer player and has recently matriculated and was working and saving money to study further’.

Last month 6 lesbians were brutally attacked and beaten at a petrol in Cape Town.

While in August this year a lesbian was raped and murdered in Kwa Zulu Natal.

In July a lesbian mother was brutally raped and murdered at her home in Polo Park, Mokopane.

Many LGBT people, particularly those who live in the townships, suffer death threats, violence and daily abuse.

According to activists of those most at risk are lesbians, transgender and asylum seekers from neighbouring African countries.

Many South African lesbians living in townships have been reported to having been subjected to so called ‘corrective’ rape, where attempts to ‘cure’ lesbians by raping them.

Despite having a relatively progressive pro-LGBT rights constitution, South Africa is witnessing a growing problem of homophobic violence which affects the poor and black LGBT communities disproportionall. White LGBT South Africans, however, seem to remain relatively safe.

Lesbian human rights campaigner Melanie Nathan claimed the Traditional Leaders political organization were to blame for the recent violence against South African lesbians, in a comment piece for Gay Star News.