Action Society win against GBV with two convictions

Action Society this past week celebrated the success of two cases it had been overseeing.

Yamkela Sikhafungana’s attacker was found guilty and sentenced for severely beating her in July last year. Her then-boyfriend, Silulami Madikizela, locked her up and attacked her because she had visited a friend’s place and wanted to stay longer. He burnt her clothes and belongings and pushed her outside the shack in her underwear after beating her.

During the trial, Yamkela’s docket was not in court on the determined date and could not be traced either. The magistrate told the investigating officer to find the docket or build a new one. Action Society assisted in making up a new docket.

A confident Yamkela walked out of court in Khayelitsha this week, relieved. “Thank you, Action Society, for your support. It’s been a long process, especially when the docket went missing, but it concluded eventually; I am relieved,” she said.

Madikizela was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment or a R3 000 fine. Furthermore, an additional 12 months of direct imprisonment, suspended for five years, were added.

In another case, Shannon Addeman‘s biological father was found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced to 570 hours of community service in Mitchells Plain.

The first incident of sexual assault took place when Shannon was just 13 years old. Neither her mother nor grandmother believed her. After she opened a case against him in 2021, Shannon still had to face her father daily.

“The case took very long to conclude, and I even moved out of Cape Town, but deep in my heart, all I wanted was justice,” said Shannon.

“While we feel these sentences should have been much harsher, the victims are satisfied. All these women wanted was to see justice and feel safe,” said Kaylynn Palm, Action Centre coordinator at Action Society. “We will continue to support the victims of gender-based violence in any way possible to secure the same peace of mind for them.”

Follow this link to support Action Society in helping victims of GBV and other serious crimes.