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Bishop Lavis’ Magistrates Court was one of those supervised in 11 areas of Cape Town. (Jenni Evans, News24)
- Sixty-six cases related to gender-based violence and domestic violence were removed from the court list in 11 high-priority areas in Cape Town.
- Between July 1 and September 30 this year, 92 cases were removed from the list “due to inefficiencies by the police,” according to Court Watching Brief.
- Of the 92, 52 were due to the fact that the file was not in court and in 40 the investigation was not completed.
Sixty-six cases related to gender-based violence and domestic violence were among 92 cases crossed out in court in 11 high-priority areas in Cape Town overseen by the Western Cape Department of Community Safety.
According to the department’s Court Watching Brief report, 92 cases were canceled between July 1 and September 30, 2020 due to “police inefficiencies.”
Of the 92, 52 were due to the fact that the file was not in court.
The areas under review were Bishop Lavis, Mfuleni, Delft, Mitchells Plain, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Harare, Philippi, Khayelitsha, Philippi East, Kraaifontein, and Ravensmead.
In a statement, Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz said that the 66 cases of gender-based violence included sexual crimes, domestic violence, assault and assault with the intention of causing serious bodily harm, violation of a protection order, murder and attempted murder.
In one such case, the defendant first appeared in court on October 14, 2019, and the case was postponed until November 25, 2019. On this date, it was postponed again to January 14, 2020 for further investigation.
As of January 14, 2020, the investigation was incomplete and was postponed until February 14, 2020. The investigation was incomplete and a final postponement was granted on May 4, 2020.
On this last date, the court was informed that the file was not available and another final adjournment was made until June 29, 2020. On this date, the case was canceled because the file was not in court.
“As a country and province, we are plagued with [gender-based violence and femicide] Y [domestic violence]”Fritz said in a statement.
“We must work together at all levels of government, using all the tools at our disposal to ensure that women feel safe and equal. Protection orders are an essential tool in this regard.
“It is therefore unacceptable that the strength of this tool is undermined by ineffective and ineffective policing.”
In a case involving possession of a firearm and ammunition, the defendant first appeared on October 31, 2019, and the case was postponed until February 11, 2020 for further investigation. On that date, it was postponed again until March 17, 2020, since the file was not taken to court. It was subsequently postponed until April 22, 2020 for a regional court decision. On that date, the court was closed due to a Covid-19 infection.
READ ALSO | 30 hotspots identified around South Africa where gender-based violence and femicide are most prevalent
The case was postponed again to May 15, 2020 and June 26, 2020 for a regional court decision. On June 26, 2020, he was finally delisted as the docket was not in court.
Fritz said: “While the pandemic has undoubtedly slowed the gears of our criminal justice system, it is inexcusable that someone who is alleged to pose a threat to the lives of others is allowed to roam the streets freely. These charges are serious and unacceptable that the records are not present in court. “
He added that he had written to the provincial police commissioner to comment on the cases removed from the court record.
The report will be submitted, with comments from the provincial commissioner, if provided, to the provincial standing committee on community safety no later than December 30, 2020.
The office of the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Yolisa Matakata, acknowledged having received the surveillance reports from July 1 to September 30, 2020.
“SAPS management in the province is currently reviewing the report in detail with a view to responding to the Department of Community Security in due course,” said brigade brigade spokesman Novela Potelwa.
“At this point, it would be premature to comment on the report. A detailed response to the report will be available soon, at the appropriate time.”
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