Action Society called for a “No Bail”-policy for suspects in violent crimes against women and children and said it should be the golden standard in South Africa. This follows after the postponement of Werner de Jager’s bail application in the Amanzimtoti Magistrates Court until 9 January 2024. De Jager stands accused of killing his wife, Reverend Liezel de Jager on 13 October 2021. Action Society believes that bail should be denied on the grounds that he poses a flight risk, amongst other things.
“De Jager must spend Christmas behind bars. We cannot afford any more delays in the fight for justice for Liezel. She represents thousands of women who end up becoming just a number in a very long list of victims of intimate partner violence,” according to Ian Cameron, Director of Community Safety at Action Society.
“It is crucial that an example is made of these so-called men who are allowed to get away with abusing and murdering those they are called to protect. That is why an example should be made out of De Jager, but the detectives who so grossly neglected Liezel’s murder investigation, allowing her case to become just another number, should also be held accountable. Our efforts won’t stop here. We will continue to support the National Cold Case Investigation Unit under the command of Brigadier Gininda, whose competence and professionalism is making strides to ensure justice for Liezel. We will also continue to take steps to hold the South African Police Service (SAPS) accountable for the original team’s neglect and failure in this case. They left her family and friends in the dark for more than two years, depriving them from the closure they needed to properly mourn her death.”
