On Saturday, 13th June 2020, the South-African police confirmed that Kirvan Fortuin, 28, died on their way to the hospital in the early hours of that day after being stabbed to death.
MambaOnline reports that Kirvan Fortuin was visiting at a friend’s house in Macassar near Cape Town when an argument broke out with a 14-year-old girl. She allegedly went to get a knife and stabbed Fortuin twice in the chest. They add that Fortuin had argued with the same girl the previous week because she allegedly made an anti-gay slur.
On Fortuin’s Facebook page earlier this month, Fortuin wrote to commemorate PRIDE Month:
“I have been judged, criticised, mocked, sabotaged, bullied and even received death threats for being who I am and the work that I do. Today we celebrate International World Pride Month, and today I would like to say again, I will always and forever fight for the visibility and voice of the marginalised within [the] mainstream, whether in corporate, civil, commercial or the art world. Too many POC, queer people, poor people and people from the Cape Flats and every other rural community have died for me to live restricted because I’m considered the other. Their deaths will never be in vain whilst I’m around. Today we remember those who paved the way for us and most importantly why.”
The 14-year-old girl connected to Kirvan Fortuin’s murder has been arrested. The police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana told News 24, “A 14-year-old girl was arrested and is being processed according to the Child Justice Act.”
Member of the Executive Council of Western Cape cultural affairs, Anroux Marais, mourned the death of Kirvan Fortuin in a statement released recently. He said, “Kirvan was a true testament to how hard work and talent could open many paths to success. He was a rising star in South Africa, who had a promising road ahead of him. Sadly, we have been robbed of the opportunity to celebrate his future successes, but we honour the amazing life of this young man. Our deepest condolences go out to Kirvan’s family and friends, and especially to those in the arts and culture spheres, who walked his path with him. The Western Cape has lost a true inspiration in Kirvan, but we will continue to celebrate his legacy for many years to come.
