Justice Delayed: The plight of women and children in South Africa's courts

Ntombizodwa Dlamini|Published 1 day ago

Justice delayed, lives betrayed: South Africa’s women and children are paying the price for a broken system.

Image: supplied

SOUTH AFRICA is in the grip of a relentless crisis of violence against women and children, while the very systems meant to protect them continue to collapse.

According to the head of Action Society’s Action Centre in the Western Cape, Kaylynn Palm, this week’s court roll once again highlights a justice system plagued by endless postponements, weak offender monitoring, and cases that drag on for months or years, leaving families in anguish. Instead of delivering accountability, the system delivers delay and devastation.

“The decision by SAPS to exclude crime statistics for women and children from its latest quarterly report is an unacceptable breach of public trust. At a time when violence against vulnerable groups is spiraling, the government has withheld the very data needed to confront the crisis. Transparency is not optional when lives are at stake,” says Palm.

Action Society is calling for urgent reforms to restore integrity to the justice system. These include a restructured parole process for violent offenders, full transparency in crime reporting, and strict accountability for institutional failures that repeatedly traumatize victims and families.

"Justice delayed is justice denied, and right now South Africa’s women and children are being denied both justice and protection," added Palm

Paarl Regional Court

Asiphe Cetywayo: Raped, murdered, and burned with acid.
Previous appearance: October 23 and November 24.
Next appearance: December 8

Cetywayo, a final-year teaching student with a promising future, was raped and murdered on March 3, 2024. Her mutilated body, burned with acid, was discovered the following day at the Vlakkeland dumping site. The case was heard on October 23 and November 24 but postponed to December 8.

Asiphe, a final-year teaching student with a bright future, was raped and murdered on 3 March 2024.

Chanelle Plaatjies: Missing, found murdered
Previous appearance: November 27
Next appearance: January 29, 2026

Plaatjies disappeared on May 14, and was reported missing two weeks later. A community search led to the discovery of a shallow grave near a dam on June 2 . DNA confirmed the body was Plaatjies. The case was heard on November 27 and postponed to January 29 for indictment and a high court date.

Chanelle was last seen on 14 May 2025 and was reported missing on 28 May 2025. In the days that followed, Chanelle’s family and the broader Paarl East community launched a tireless search which led to a chilling discovery: a shallow grave near a dam.

Wynberg Magistrates Court

Previous appearance: November 5
Next appearance: December 11

A nine-year-old girl was raped in Hanover Park in May 2025 by a man out on parole for a previous child rape conviction. The case appeared in Wynberg Regional Court on November 4 and was postponed to December 11 for consultation with legal representatives.

Wynberg Regional Court

Previous appearance: November 21
Next appearance: June 1 2026

Melissa Bianca Dale, a woman living with a disability, was raped and murdered at Wynberg Military Base in June 2023. The accused is the son of a member of the South African Defence Force. The case has suffered repeated postponements, most recently on November 21, and is now set for trial on June 1

Melanie Stoffels: Murdered with a hammer while pregnant
Previous appearance: December 2
Next appearance: January 28, 2026

Stoffels, pregnant at the time, was beaten to death with a hammer in Heideveld in August 2024. Her ex-girlfriend allegedly orchestrated the attack. Accomplice Quinton Jacobs pled guilty, and his case was postponed to January 28, 2026 for a pre-sentencing report.

Melanie Stoffels, pregnant at the time, was brutally beaten to death with a hammer in Heideveld on 7 August 2024.

Protea Court

Bakkie murderer to be sentenced soon
Previous appearance: November 5
Next appearance: February 5, 2026

Nomasonto Felicity Modzanane, an employee at Randfontein Magistrate Court, was struck and fatally run over by a speeding bakkie driver in February 2024. CCTV footage captured the attack. The accused pled guilty, and sentencing is scheduled for 5 February 2026.

Nomasonto was an employee at the Randfontein Magistrate Court and had just finished her shift on 21 February 2024.

Malmesbury Regional Court

Malmesbury Molester
Previous appearance: November 7
Next appearance: January 26, 2026

A serial child molester, first arrested in 2021, continues to face charges. Despite admitting to harmful urges, mental health evaluations found he could control himself. Action Society insists he must never be allowed near children again. The case was postponed to January 26, 2026 for judgment.

Mitchell’S Plain Regional Court

Lekesha Marthinus: Judgement against Austin du Plessis postponed
Previous appearance: November 28
Next appearance: December 4

Marthinus, 18, died in November 2022 after her boyfriend, Austin du Plessis, struck her with a beer bottle while she held her baby. Judgment has been postponed twice, with a new date set for December 4.

The judgement against Austin du Plessis, the accused in 18-year-old Lekesha Marthinus’s murder was postponed for the second time on 28 November 2025.

Firdous Kleinschmidt: Killed by stray bullet
Previous appearance: November 10 and 17
Next appearance: December 8

Kleinschmidt, a 13-year-old pupil, was killed by a stray bullet at her school in January 2024. The accused faces multiple murder charges. Her case was postponed to December 8 after delays caused by overlapping trials.

Firdous Kleinschmidt, a 13-year-old Grade 7 pupil was killed on 30 January 2024 after being struck by a stray bullet at school in Beacon Valley.

Khayelitsha Regional Court

Barbershop Massacre
Previous appearance: November 19
Next appearance: January 29, 2026

Athule Mtsha and Sithisa Masiko face charges for a mass shooting at a Khayelitsha barbershop in June 2024 that killed three children and a man. The case was postponed to January 29, 2026 for trial.

Athule Mtsha and Sithisa Masiko face charges related to a mass shooting at a Khayelitsha barbershop on 8 June 2024, which resulted in the deaths of three children and a 30-year-old man, and left several others injured.

Johannesburg Regional Court

Viral child abuse case back in court
Previous appearance: November 20
Next appearance: December 3

Three suspects, including the child’s mother, appeared in court after a viral video showed them encouraging a child to smoke Mandrax. The case was postponed to December 3 for further investigation.

Cape Town High Court

Sheri-Ann Jacobs: Suicide claim turned out to be murder
Previous appearance: November 21
Next appearance: February, 27, 2026

Sheri-Ann was found dead in November 2021. Initially ruled a suicide, forensic evidence later revealed murder. Her husband, Jacques Pretorius, has been charged. The case was postponed to February 27, 2026 for preliminary hearings.

Sheri-Ann was found dead in November 2021. Her death was initially treated as a suicide, but forensic findings and inconsistencies revealed that the crime scene had been staged.

Blue Downs Regional Court

Janelle Laatoe and two others vs. serial abuser
Previous appearance: November 28
Next appearance: February 4, 2026

Three women, including Janelle Laatoe, are pursuing justice against a serial abuser who allegedly preyed on them during their relationships. The case was postponed to February 4, 2026.

The man accused in this case is alleged to have preyed on multiple women during their relationships with him, including Janelle Laatoe.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE