Justice for Gaby
Demand accountability now!
South African women cannot trust a police service that fails them when they are most vulnerable.
On 26 May 2023, Nonkululeko Gabriella (Gaby) Luenza Ndaba went missing in Boksburg. Six days later, she was found dead, just days before her 32nd birthday.
Instead of protecting Gaby, the South African Police Service (SAPS) failed her and her family at every critical moment:
- They showed no urgency when the missing persons report was filed.
- They failed to trace her cellphone, even though it rang until 8:00 the next morning.
- They failed to secure the crime scene, leaving evidence for the family to find themselves.
- They returned her phone before proper forensic analysis was done.
- The investigating officer admitted to having no basic training and ignored key witnesses.
This is more than human error. This is institutional negligence and prejudice.
Why this matters
Gaby’s family were forced to do their own investigation. They commissioned a private post-mortem, traced evidence, and confronted witnesses—all because the police would not act.
Her story is not unique. It reflects a wider crisis in South Africa:
- A culture of indifference when women disappear
- Lack of training in handling gender-based violence and missing persons cases
- Prejudice and victim-blaming attitudes inside SAPS
When the police fail, justice fails.
What we demand
Action Society is calling for:
- The immediate reassignment of Gaby’s case to a competent, experienced investigative unit
- A full IPID investigation into Dawn Park SAPS’s conduct
- A broader inquiry into how prejudice and incompetence undermine police performance in cases of gender-based violence and missing persons
Your voice matters.
Join Action Society in demanding justice for Gaby, and accountability for every family failed by the SAPS. Together, we can send a clear message: negligence will not be tolerated.
Add your name. Join the fight for justice.
– Juanita du Preez, Action Society
Resources to help you act
How a murder investigation should be conducted
Losing someone to violence is devastating, and the pain is made worse when families feel the police are not doing
What to do if a loved one goes missing
When someone you love goes missing, every second counts. Families are often left unsure of what to do, or what