Action Society continued their battle for justice in the courts in September. We were met mostly by postponements and disappointments. It has been more than six months since 13-year-old Firdous Kleinschmidt was killed by a stray bullet and the killer still manages to evade being prosecuted for her murder. We were also extremely frustrated to see the problem of forensic backlogs still causing delays in justice, this time in the case of a murdered three-year-old girl from Heidelberg.
MALMESBURY REGIONAL COURT
Malmesbury Molester: Action Society wants him removed from society
Action Society continues to push for a man accused of molesting three children in Malmesbury to be permanently removed from society. The case has been particularly frustrating as the accused has slipped through the cracks multiple times. He was first arrested in 2021 but was let go on a warning. In the meantime, two years on, the accused has bought himself time by changing lawyers on three different occasions. Action Society warns that he is a danger to all children and should be removed from society. The matter was heard in court on 9 September 2024 and was postponed to 11 October 2024 for the accused to be placed at the Valkenberg Psychiatric hospital for evaluation. He is currently 25th on the list.
PRETORIA NORTH REGIONAL COURT
Charlene Pretorius: Set alight in front of her children
Action Society continued to support the family of Charlene Pretorius, a mother-of-three who was burned alive by her then husband in May of 2023. The accused continued his attempts to get bail. The matter was heard in court on 11 September 2024 and was postponed to 30 October 2024. We are still waiting for a high court date. Fortunately, the accused was not granted bail.
VREDENDAL MAGISTRATES COURT
Nadine Klaase: Strangled in her bed
Nadine Klaase was strangled to death in her bed in Vredendal North on 6 October, 2023. The suspected killer was her boyfriend at the time, and he was arrested the night her body was discovered. Her body was found with multiple scratches on her skin, she had a bloodied nose, and a shoelace was tied around her neck. The matter was heard in court on 11 September 2024 and was postponed to 1 October 2024 for the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) decision on whether the case will be heard in the high court or regional court. Sunday, 6 October 2024 will mark one year since she was killed.
KHAYELITSHA MAGISTRATES COURT
Dahlia:Raped by stepfather, rapist out on bail
Action Society continued the fight for justice for Dahlia, a 19-year-old girl from Harare who was raped in May 2024. Her rapist, who is both her stepfather and a local pastor, was granted bail of only R1 500.The matter was heard in court on 12 September 2024 and was postponed to 14 October 2024 for the first appearance in the regional court.
BISHOP LAVIS MAGISTRATES COURT
Elderly woman assaulted by family member
Action Society fully and unreservedly condemns acts of violence toward our country’s elderly. A house in Langa in Cape Town became another scene of terrible elder abuse, this time yet again at the hands of a close family member who tried to kill his grandmother. We signed a mandate and will be defending her cause in the courts. He was arrested on 12 July and appeared before the Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court. Action Society strongly condemns all violence toward the elderly. The matter was heard in court on 12 September 2024 and has been postponed to 8 October 2024 for a move to the Parow Regional Court.
KHAYELITSHA REGIONAL COURT
Thimna Kuze: Body found in a shack
The murder case of Thimna Kuze continued in August of 2024. Thimna, a 13-year-old girl from Khayelitsha was murdered on 25 March 2023 and her family is still waiting for justice. The young girl slept over at a friend’s house, and was found dead a day later in a shack with blood in her nose, mouth and groin area.The matter was heard in court on 13 September 2024 and was postponed to 7 October 2024 for further trial.
BLUE DOWNS REGIONAL COURT
Janelle Laattoe: Serial abuser
Action Society has been supporting Janelle Laattoe and two other women who were abused by the same man during the course of their relationships with him. The matter was heard in court on 16 September 2024 and was postponed to 17 October 2024 due to the magistrate retiring and the case had to be moved to another courtroom. Action Society was disappointed to see that there are no contingency plans put in place to deal with these types of scenarios.
HEIDELBERG MAGISTRATES COURT
Melokuhle Ngwenya: Three year old murdered
Melokuhle Ngwenya, a three-year-old girl from Ratanda in Heidelberg went missing on April 3, 2024 and her body was found in a dustbin the following day. Two suspects were arrested. The matter was heard in court on 17 September and has been postponed to 30 January 2025 for further investigation, including outstanding DNA results.
ALEXANDRA MAGISTRATES COURT
Dorcas ‘Didi’ Lekganyane: Murdered by husband
Didi Lekganyane, a 32-year-old from Johannesburg was stabbed to death by her husband in their home in July 2024. There was a history of abuse in their relationship. The matter was heard in court on 20 September 2024 and was postponed to 29 November 2024 for further investigation.
