Nkonyana, 19, was stabbed to death in the South Afrian city
after refusing to use a male toilet in 2006. She was allegedly
murdered because of her sexuality.
The nine defendants, who are pleading not guilty, have had their
trial postponed over 30 times since the incident.
They are Lubabalo Ntlabathi, Sabelo Yekiso, Anele Gwele, Mbulelo
Damba, Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Londzi, Zolile Kobese, Themba Dlephu
and Mfundo Kulani. Each were charged with murder.
Now, after a request from the men's lawyers to have all charges
against them dropped, two of them - Kobese and Gwele - have been
successful.
The requests were on the basis that witnesses had contradicted
each other, according to local news website Times Live.
The decision has drawn global criticism from LGBT activists.
Following the postponement, local activists began protesting
outside Khayelitsha Regional Court - as they have since the trail
first started.
Previosuly, Treatment Action Campaign activist Mary-Jane Matsolo
said: "As a community we need to be proactive in making sure this
type of travesty is seen as completely unacceptable, something that
will not, under any circumstances, be tolerated.
"Zoliswa was a proud and open member of the lesbian community.
[She] was the victim of a murder […] for no reason other than that
she was a lesbian."
