After Five Months, Silence on Murder of Imam Muhsin Hendricks

It has been five months since the murder in Gqeberha of Imam Muhsin Hendricks, and there has been no public update from the police or any indication of progress in the case.

Hendricks was reportedly the world’s first openly gay imam. He lived in Cape Town and ran the Inner Circle, an organisation helping queer Muslims embrace their faith and their sexuality.

He was in Gqeberha to ordain a marriage when he was shot dead on 15 February in a manner that has all the hallmarks of an assassination.

Captain Sandra Van Rensburg, SAPS spokesperson for Nelson Mandela Bay, said no further details can be provided because of the case’s sensitivity. However, there is a dedicated team of detectives working on the investigation, she said.

Van Rensburg added that any “positive progress” will be communicated.

Attempts by GroundUp to meet with members of Hendricks’ Al-Ghurbaah Foundation have been unsuccessful. Despite initially agreeing to a future interview, the foundation has not responded to our follow-up attempts.

We found their office in Wynberg closed, with no sign as to whether they are operational. A security guard working at the complex said as far as they knew, the organisation had vacated the building.

The foundation’s online presence also seems to have vanished. All their social media pages have either no activity or have been deactivated or deleted. Their official website says “account suspended”.

We contacted the family of Hendricks but received no response.

Hendricks had dedicated his life to creating an all-inclusive and compassion-centred Muslim community. Al-Ghurbaah was a safe space for queer Muslims, allowing them to express their sexual orientation and gender identity without being judged.

Imam Hendricks ran the Inner Circle, an organisation focused on helping queer Muslims embrace their faith and sexuality. Archive photo: Naib Mian

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