Family believes 14-year-old Likhona Fose was killed in suspected homophobic attack

A 14-year-old girl’s dream of becoming a lawyer was cut short when she was brutally murdered in what her family believes was a homophobic hate crime in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.

Likhona Fose, a Grade 8 pupil at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, was found dead with her body mutilated in an empty field on Sunday, 1 June 2025.

The teenager’s uncle and family spokesperson, Mthobeli Fose, told The Citizen on Monday that the family had accepted Likhona’s sexual orientation and believes she was targeted because of her identity as a lesbian.

“They killed her with intent. We had accepted as a family that she was lesbian, we’d even buy her pants,” Fose said.

Teenager found with missing parts

A passerby discovered Likhona’s mutilated body under a shrub in Durban Deep and immediately notified police.

The gruesome discovery came after an intensive search by family members, community members, and law enforcement officials following her disappearance on Sunday afternoon.

Fose revealed the disturbing details of the crime, stating that when the body was found, Likhona’s private parts were missing.

“The child is dead, we found out yesterday afternoon around three, perhaps four o’clock, I’m not sure,” he said, adding that he suspected the murder was a hate crime specifically targeting her because of homophobia.

According to local authorities, Likhona was last seen on Sunday afternoon after leaving home with friends. Her sudden disappearance prompted the search effort that tragically ended with the discovery of her body.

Police have opened a murder investigation into the case.

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A promising student lost

Likhona had just begun her high school journey, enrolling in Grade 8 with aspirations of pursuing a career in law.

Her uncle described her as a dedicated and respectful student who had a bright future ahead of her.

“Likhona was a loving person who was respectful, loved school,” Fose said.

The young girl’s passion for education and her dreams of becoming a lawyer now serve as a painful reminder of the potential that was violently stolen from her and her community.

Community safety concerns

The location where Likhona’s body was discovered has been identified by her family as a persistent source of criminal activity in the area.

Fose highlighted the ongoing safety issues surrounding the empty field where his niece was found.

“This place is full of too much crime. While the area is formed by houses and informal settlements, the main source of crime usually comes from the empty field. The field is really a problem, it’s the field that we have a problem with because she was found on the field,” he explained.

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Department of Education condemns Likhona Fose’s murder

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane expressed profound sadness over Likhona’s death, particularly noting that it occurred during National Child Protection Week.

The Gauteng Department of Education has deployed its Psycho-Social Support Unit at Ikusasalethu Secondary School to provide counselling and trauma support to affected pupils and teachers.

“As the Department, we cannot begin to express how deeply disheartened we are by the loss of Likhona, a young girl learner who had a bright future ahead of her.

“For her life to have been taken from her in such a brutal manner is unacceptable, and we call on law enforcement authorities to speedily apprehend those responsible for this heinous act,” Chiloane said.

The MEC emphasised the broader implications of the tragedy, stating that the department “stands with the nation in condemning all acts of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, especially where pupils are concerned”.

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Calls for societal change

Chiloane described the incident as indicative of deeper societal problems that extend beyond policing issues.

“Likhona Fose was only 14. A daughter. A learner. A child. Her life was stolen, brutally, during National Child Protection Week. A time meant to affirm our commitment to the safety and dignity of every child in South Africa,” he said.

“Week after week, we are confronted by unspeakable violence against our children. This is no longer just a policing issue. It is a deep societal rot,” Chiloane continued, calling for coordinated action across communities, homes, and institutions.

The MEC referenced society’s broader responsibility for protecting children, stating, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children. We must restore that soul, not through words, but through urgent, coordinated action”.

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Fose family seeks justice

The Fose family is calling on authorities to assist in bringing Likhona’s killers to justice.

“Authorities and the law can help us by finding the people who killed our child,” Mthobeli Fose said, emphasising that his niece “is not the first to suffer such a tragic fate”.

Fose indicated that the family was coordinating with relatives in the Eastern Cape to finalise funeral preparations, with the service planned for next week.

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