'Justice is failing women'

2007-11-13 15:44

Cape Town - Womens' rights activists called on Tuesday for the justice system to deal more swiftly with cases involving violence against women.

Their call followed last week's postponement - the 17th - of the case against four men accused of raping and murdering Nandipha Makeke, a Khayelitsha schoolgirl, in December 2005.

"Up until now justice has not been served," said Nomfundo Eland, womens' rights co-ordinator of the Treatment Action Campaign.

"Justice is failing women, and it is failing Nandipha as well."

Makeke was an active TAC member.

The trial of the four men has begun in the Khayelitsha regional court, but at the last hearing, on November 8, the case was postponed to a date in February next year, Eland said.

Women are disappointed

She said the case had traumatised the community, and made rape survivors despair that the justice system would ever serve them.

She said about 80 rapes were reported every month at the one-stop Simelela rape treatment centre in the township.

Norute Nobola, of People Opposed to Women Abuse in Khayelitsha, said women were encouraged to speak out against rape, yet when they did so, "this happens".

"Khayelitsha women are disappointed [in] the case. They are disappointed because womens' dignity is falling apart," she said.

Makeke's father Pinki Makeke said the case puzzled and troubled her family, because it was making them lose hope.

He was concerned that it might be thrown out of court.

The TAC released copies of a letter it had written to the Khayelitsha prosecutor's office, asking for Makeke's case to be given the same attention as that of another TAC member, Lorna Mlofana, who was also murdered in Khayelitsha, and whose killers have been tried and sentenced.

"Nandipha's murder can serve a good cause by making the community stand up for the right to justice and make our justice system more efficient," it said.

"Hopefully this will reduce further crimes like this."

In a statement released at the briefing, the TAC said simple measures such as street lighting, closed-circuit cameras and a more visible police presence could make a big difference to women who lived in fear of violence and sexual assault.

It also said the Sexual Offences Bill needed to be enacted.

Prosecutors and police have been invited to address a community meeting in Khayelitsha on Wednesday on the handling of rape cases.

- SAPA