The drawn-out legal process in a Cape Town domestic violence case once again underscores how South Africa’s justice system continues to fail victims – particularly women trapped in abusive relationships.
Action Society is closely monitoring the trial of a Cape Town man, a practising lawyer, who was arrested on 4 July 2024 after allegedly beating, kicking, choking, and attempting to suffocate his former partner, Rosemary*. The brutal assault occurred on 25 June 2024. He fled the scene but was later apprehended and charged. He now stands accused of attempted murder, with additional domestic violence charges set to be added.
What makes this case even more disturbing is the accused’s abuse of power and position. He previously acted as Rosemary’s legal representative and has since used confidential information shared during the attorney-client relationship as a weapon against her. Rosemary reports ongoing threats and blackmail – including pressure to accept a plea deal – raising serious concerns about victim protection, legal ethics, and the loopholes that abusers exploit.
“Rosemary’s account reveals the unbearable reality that many victims of intimate partner violence face – being attacked, threatened, and then re-traumatised by a justice system that moves too slowly and grants bail too easily,” said Kaylynn Palm, Head of Action Society’s Action Centre in the Western Cape. “The fact that the accused used his former role as her lawyer to intimidate her is not only unethical but criminally dangerous.”
Despite being denied bail on 15 August 2024 in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, the accused later succeeded in securing bail of R30 000 on appeal in the Western Cape High Court – without Rosemary being formally notified. The matter has been postponed multiple times, most recently on 30 June 2025, with a new date set for 25 August.
This is not the first time the accused has been implicated in violence against Rosemary. A 2023 case of domestic abuse was withdrawn through mediation on the condition that he would not reoffend – a promise he clearly broke.
Action Society reiterates its call for urgent reform in the criminal justice process for gender-based violence cases. This includes improved oversight of legal professionals accused of abuse, mechanisms to ensure victims are consulted and informed at every stage of the process, and swifter court proceedings that do not enable further intimidation.
*Rosemary is a pseudonym to protect the identity of the victim.
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