More than three years after eighteen-year-old Lekesha Marthinus lost her life in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, the court yesterday sentenced Austin du Plessis to ten years’ imprisonment, of which three years have been suspended. He will effectively serve seven years’ direct imprisonment following his conviction on culpable homicide charges earlier this year.
Action Society welcomes the sentence and hopes it will finally bring a measure of closure to Lekesha’s family after an extraordinarily long and painful court process.
Lekesha died on 5 November 2022 after du Plessis threw an empty beer bottle at her head while she was holding her nine-month-old baby. She was rushed to hospital but declared dead on arrival. A young mother lost her life in an act of violence that changed her family forever, while her child was left to grow up without her.
Since Action Society began monitoring the matter in January 2023, the case endured at least 21 postponements before judgment was eventually delivered in February this year, 1 200 days after Lekesha’s death.
Throughout the process, Lekesha’s family returned to court repeatedly, carrying the emotional burden of postponement after postponement while waiting for accountability.
Kaylynn Palm, Head of Action Society’s Action Centre in the Western Cape, says the sentence marks the end of a long and emotionally exhausting chapter for the family.
“No sentence can restore what this family has lost. A young mother’s life was taken, and a child was left without his mother. But after years of delays, repeated court appearances, and emotional strain, we hope this sentence can finally bring some measure of closure to Lekesha’s loved ones,” said Palm.
Palm added that the case once again highlighted the severe impact that delays within the criminal justice system have on victims’ families.
“When cases drag on for years, families are forced to relive their trauma over and over. Justice must not only happen, it must happen within a timeframe that still carries meaning for those waiting for it,” she said.
Action Society monitored the matter as part of its victims’ rights oversight programme in the Western Cape, aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and support for families navigating the criminal justice system.
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