You are here: Home » News » Crime » Gay Motive for Murder in South Africa’s Dewani Honeymoon Case

Gay Motive for Murder in South Africa’s Dewani Honeymoon Case

Posted by: Lez Get Real on December 13, 2010.

Melanie Nathan; Dec 13- 2010 - A wealthy young British couple on honeymoon in South Africa, was hijacked last month and tragically the beautiful wife, Anni Dewani, was fatally shot, causing an international media blitz and outcry. The incident occurred in Gugulethu, a poor and crime ridden Township in South Africa. South Africa ‘s rampant crime, more often than not, goes unchecked and the Zuma government has done very little to assert any effective control. What a perfect place to order a hit – to commit murder.

However unlike crimes perpetrated on locals in ‘Gugu’ this story had the Police in first gear; aware of the attention, impact on tourism, authorities have gone all out – not a resource withheld – solving the crime and taking care of the victims.

Shrien Dewani and his wife Anni were carjacked on November 13, 2010 as their chauffeur-driven car took a detour through the township. Already, one month to the day later – a conviction- the man who drove the couple has confessed to shooting Anni Dewani, insisting he was paid by husband, Shrien to effect the hit! Mr Dewani, 30, told police he raised the alarm after he was released unharmed in the attack. His 28 year-old wife’s body was found on the back seat of the abandoned car the following morning. She had been shot in the neck, chest and hand.

There have been inconsistencies in Dewani’s account of the ambush and enormous speculation as to why and who. The one new rumor to surface is that Dewani ordered the hit because he is gay, a way to slip out of the marriage where his secret would remain safe. Gay men often get married due to religious and family pressure – that is a well known fact. But most men do not murder their wives because of it. However if one combines the series of circumstances in this case- this may well reflect the most plausible motive.

No one in their right mind takes a beautiful bride into Gugulethu, least of all at night. When asked why they were there, Dewani has provided two stories; he said that the driver took a detour and then he said his deceased wife wanted to see the authentic South Africa.

I cannot imagine any sensible woman agreeing to go into a SA township at night – especially that SA is so well known for its severe crime. Tourists tend to stick to tourist safe areas, unless in large tour operated group.

There seems to be no other motive and maybe Dewani thought this was his only way out of the embarrassment of a revelation of his homosexuality.

But of course at this point, until whistle blowers come forward is all speculation.

Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

A Side Note: The crime of “corrective rape” on lesbians is rampant in Gugulethu – I have yet to see one including that of Millicent Gaika get any where near the South African media attention that this one received - I get why! However what fails my sensibilities is why the endemic problem gets minimal police attention and why it takes years to prosecute cases while perpetrators are out on bail, free to terrorize the victims and witnesses.