Action Society’s latest Court Wrap, covering proceedings up to 11 August 2025, underscores the persistent delays and systemic failings in South Africa’s justice system. The update follows multiple high-profile gender-based violence (GBV) and violent crime cases in which court dates have been repeatedly postponed – some stretching back more than two years.
“These cases are not just numbers on a docket,” said Juanita du Preez, spokesperson for Action Society. “They represent women and children who have suffered unimaginable trauma, and families who are forced to relive that pain every time a case is postponed. Justice delayed is justice denied, and these delays send a dangerous message to offenders.”
The Court Wrap includes updates on:
- The ongoing trial of the “Malmesbury Molester” accused of raping and molesting three children;
- The murder case of 18-year-old mother, Lekesha Marthinus, plagued by repeated postponements;
- The rape of a four-year-old from Mfuleni; and
- The sexual assault of 19 women in a Khayelitsha church on Easter Sunday.
Action Society will continue to attend court proceedings, support victims and their families, and pressure authorities to prioritise the swift prosecution of GBV and violent crime cases.
BLUE DOWNS REGIONAL COURT
*Poppy
In October 2024, the ordinary trust between a family and the person responsible for transporting their child was shattered. A four-year-old girl from Mfuleni was in the care of an older crèche transport driver – someone expected to ensure her safety. Instead, that trust was betrayed in the most horrific way when he raped her.
Last appearance: 1 Aug 2025
Next appearance: 28 Aug 2025 – Consultation.
Janelle Laatoe – Serial Abuser Case
The man accused in this case is alleged to have preyed on multiple women during their relationships with him, including Janelle Laatoe. Her ordeal, along with that of two other women, has brought them together in their search for justice against a serial abuser.
Last appearance: 23 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 18 Sep 2025 – Further proceedings.
PAARL REGIONAL COURT
Asiphe Cetywayo
In March 2023, herdsmen walking through a dumping site in Mbekweni made a discovery that would haunt an entire community — the mutilated body of a young woman. Later identified as Asiphe Cetywayo, the autopsy revealed the depth of the brutality she endured: raped, murdered, and burned with acid only the day before.
Last appearance: 10 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 21 Aug 2025 – Plea bargaining negotiations.
PAARL MAGISTRATES COURT
Chanelle Plaatjies
Chanelle went missing on 14 May 2025, her absence sending ripples of fear through her family and the community of Paarl East. For two weeks they searched tirelessly. It was her sister who found one of Chanelle’s shoes near a wooded area behind the Allandale Correctional Centre – a discovery that led to a shallow grave by a dam. Inside was Chanelle’s body, wrapped in a black bag. Three men were arrested, one of whom is believed to have been in a previous relationship with her.
Last appearance: 4 Aug 2025 – Reports still outstanding, decision pending on High Court transfer.
Next appearance: 16 Oct 2025. All three accused remain in custody.
KHAYELITSHA REGIONAL COURT
Churchgoers Sexual Assault
On Easter Sunday 2023, a group of women gathered at their church in Khayelitsha to prepare for the morning service. Instead of the safety and sanctuary they expected, they were confronted by two armed men who forced them to undress and perform sexual acts, beating them in the process. Nineteen women were violated that day in a place meant for worship.
Last appearance: 4 Aug 2025
Next appearance: 20 Aug 2025 – Continuation of trial.
Thimna Kuze
On the night of 25 March 2023, Thimna stayed over at a friend’s house. By the next day, she was found dead in a shack, with blood in her nose, mouth, and groin. The evidence points to a brutal rape and murder that cut short her young life.
Last appearance: 28 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 11 Sep 2025 – Further evidence.
MITCHELLS PLAIN REGIONAL COURT
Firdous Kleinschmidt
On 31 January 2024, a 13-year-old girl from Mitchells Plain was waiting for her lift home from school when a stray bullet struck her. Caught in the crossfire of a senseless shooting, her life was taken before she had the chance to grow up.
Last appearance: 16 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 25 Aug 2025 – Plea and trial.
Lekesha Marthinus
On 5 November 2022 in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, 18-year-old mother Lekesha Marthinus was holding her nine-month-old baby when her boyfriend threw an empty beer bottle at her head. The blow to her temple proved fatal. Her case has been dragged through the courts with multiple postponements, prolonging the family’s agony.
Last appearance: 6 Aug 2025
Next appearance: 2 Sep 2025 – Further trial.
MALMESBURY REGIONAL COURT
Malmesbury Molester
First arrested in 2021 for child molestation, the accused was released on a warning. He has admitted to struggling with urges to harm children, yet mental health evaluations contradict claims that he cannot control himself. Action Society believes he is a dangerous predator who must never be allowed near children again.
Last appearance: 28 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 25 Aug 2025 – Plea and trial.
WYNBERG REGIONAL COURT
Melony Stoffels
Just more than a year ago, on 7 August 2024 in Heideveld, Melony Stoffels, pregnant at the time, was brutally beaten to death with a hammer. The attack, allegedly orchestrated by her ex-girlfriend, shocked the community. A male accomplice handed himself over to police days later, and the ex-girlfriend was subsequently arrested.
Last appearance: 29 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 26 Aug 2025 – Plea and trial.
PAROW REGIONAL COURT
*Aster In late November 2024, 14-year-old Aster believed she was being taken to a praise and worship session by a trusted church leader. Instead, the ‘pastor’ drove her to a rental house in Delft, where he raped her. Action Society received a mandate from her family to oversee the case.
Last appearance: 25 Jul 2025
Next appearance: 25 Aug 2025 – Legal aid representative.
CAPE TOWN REGIONAL COURT
Suritha Alting
Suritha was brutally stabbed on her way home from Bossa near her home in De Zicht during the early hours of a Saturday morning in November 2022. Her murderer, Xolani du Preez was serving an 11-year sentence for the 2022 murder of the 28-year-old. Before being transferred to Pollsmoor Correctional Centre, Xolani du Preez was held at the Horizon Youth Correctional Centre, which is located in Faure, near Cape Town. This facility typically houses younger offenders and is managed by the Western Cape Government. Following an assault on staff at the Horizon Centre, Du Preez and the two others were moved to Pollsmoor following a High Court order in July 2024 directed their continued incarceration there due to the seriousness of their crimes. Despite this, they were later wrongfully released after a court appearance as if they were remand detainees, not sentenced prisoners – an error Action Society is now challenging. Du Preez was later re-arrested – not in connection with the escape, but for allegedly committing further crimes while unlawfully free.
Last appearance: 6 Aug 2025 – Postponement requested for plea negotiations.
Next appearance: 25 Sep 2025
