SAA cabin crew member murdered in suspected hate crime

SAA has confirmed that one its cabin crew Aubrey Boshoga has died.

Boshoga is understood to have been found stabbed to death on Saturday. Shocked friends and colleagues were worried that he may have been the victim of a hate crime.

SAA spokesperson Vimla Maistry said they were informed on Monday morning of his death.

“Aubrey was a passionate employee of SAA who served as a cabin crew member,” said Maistry.

The circumstances of his death were not clear to the company, and police were not able to provide information to News24 on Monday.

“On behalf of management and employees at SAA, our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Aubrey Boshoga,” said Maistry.

LGBT+ people continue to suffer unrelenting hate & violence in South Africa.

Talented artist Aubrey Boshoga, aged 48, was murdered and his body dumped outside his house last night. For no other reason except living his life.#justiceforaubrey #JusticeForQueerSA ????????️‍???? pic.twitter.com/fUrn6bDUsi

— Suntosh Pillay (@suntoshpillay) May 30, 2021

Mambaonline reported that a neighbour, speaking on condition of anonymity noted that the brutality of the attack in Johannesburg was a possible indication of a hate crime due to Boshoga’s LGBTQI+ identity.

The publication reported that he had a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and had worked as a flight attendant for more than 20 years.

Boshoga often posted photographs of his travels and of his art on his social media profiles, and his death left friends bereft.

Saddened to here of the passing of Aubrey Boshoga. Such a kind soul. I met him when we did this photo shoot for @Previdar .

He loved and was a huge collector of vintage suitcases. May his murderer be brought to justice.

EWN spoke to Boshoga’s sister Josephine who said CCTV footage showed a car dropping her brother’s body outside his yard.

Mambaonline reported that, besides Aubrey, at least 10 people identifying as LGBTQI+ had been murdered in the past three and a half months.