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- The EFF in Gauteng has called for the swift completion of gender-based violence cases in the province.
- Desk officer Naledi Mpungose asked the justice system to complete cases in six months.
- Mpungose called for the case of slain TUT student Ntokozo Xaba to be quickly completed as police have gathered relevant evidence against the alleged perpetrator.
EFF MP Naledi Mpungose has called for gender-based violence cases to be dealt with more swiftly, with matters being concluded in six months.
Mpungose attended the bail hearing of Ngcebo Thusi, 23, who is accused of killing his 20-year-old girlfriend, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student Ntokozo Xaba, on 1 February.
Xaba was killed in her residence and sustained multiple stab wounds to her body.
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"There are two ways around such cases. Either there is remorse, or hope that civil society will organise itself as it had happened in this matter. We have been in court and seen his face and the arrogance he displayed. There is no remorse on his part," said Mpungose.
"We must attend this case until the end. [Gender-based violence] needs us to stand together and say enough is enough. It is constantly happening [daily]. We have tripled our statistics. It was three women killed per day. Now, it is 10 women killed in this country every day.
"It is worse [as some] people think human life doesn't matter. We are saying to the justice and police systems the time to arrest and release perpetrators has come to an end. The time for bail applications has come to an end."
READ | Man accused of TUT student Ntokozo Xaba's murder appears in court
She said perpetrators are arrested, but find their way back into communities to commit the same offences.
"The police would arrest, and our courts would later release people. In six months, the case should be completed, and the very harshest sentence be sent to the perpetrator for Xaba to get justice," Mpungose said.
"The State must capacitate itself to fully carry out the investigation. They have enough personnel. There is no excuse why the evidence can't be gathered and argued in court quickly. When those things (delays) happen, there is no political will to ensure justice is served. Our courts exist to ensure justice is served."
Mpungose said there was no justification for Xaba's case to drag on for an extended period of time.
Mpungose said:
Earlier in the day, Thusi's lawyer, DS Bopape, told the court that his client was provisionally abandoning bail. Bopape didn't explain why Thusi didn't want to bring a bail application.
Prosecutor Mashudu Nembulunge said they were opposed to bail.
Thusi is facing charges of murder, as well as defeating the ends of justice and is expected back in court on 30 March.
