South African LGBTQ+ Outlet MambaOnline Opens 25th Anniversary Exhibition at Constitution Hill
In October 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa’s oldest digital LGBTQ+ news platform, MambaOnline, marked its 25th anniversary with the launch of the retrospective exhibition “Write the Next 25” at the historic Constitution Hill heritage complex. According to reporting by MambaOnline itself, the exhibition is held as part of South Africa’s Pride Month and will run through the end of October, showcasing 25 landmark investigative articles and archival photographs capturing key milestones in the struggle for constitutional equality and social transformation.
The exhibition is installed in the Number 4 section of the former prison precinct, where political detainees were held during apartheid and which now stands alongside the Constitutional Court of South Africa. The event forms the centerpiece of the “Write the Next 25” fundraising campaign, designed to secure financial viability for independent queer journalism amid shrinking donor funding across non-profit media. On opening day, MambaOnline founder and editor-in-chief Luiz De Barros noted a recent landmark ruling by the Equality Court in Gqeberha, which penalized a local merchant for banning LGBTQ+ patrons—a legal case originally sparked by MambaOnline’s investigative reporting.
Opening remarks were delivered by Managing Editor Nompilo Gwala, recognized in the World Association of News Publishers’ (WAN-IFRA) 30 Under 30 leadership initiative, as well as diplomatic representatives from Ireland, Norway, and the Government of Flanders in Belgium, who supported the exhibition. Hilde Dahl, Development Counsellor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy, emphasized that LGBTQ+ history is an integral chapter of South Africa’s journey toward an inclusive and democratic society. The event also featured a panel discussion including activist and filmmaker Dr. Bev Ditsie and Ugandan transgender refugee advocate Mandy Jovial, who examined ethical reporting standards concerning vulnerable communities.
Founded in 2001, MambaOnline became South Africa’s first major online news portal dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, reporting extensively on human rights, legislative battles, hate crimes, and cultural developments. Constitution Hill in Johannesburg is a former high-security prison transformed following the end of apartheid into the country’s preeminent monument to human rights and democratic governance.
Civic rights protection and institutional developments in South Africa are regularly highlighted on the platform: previously, Uránia reported on the Equality Court fine against a Gqeberha store owner for discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers, the PLUS Business Summit in Sandton supporting queer entrepreneurship, the 20th anniversary commemoration of Soweto Pride near Johannesburg, and sociological research on living conditions for LGBTQ+ people in South Africa.
