GBV activists unhappy at Randburg Magistrate’s Court demonstration
Mother of the alleged rape victim claims father manipulated the system after raping her, and now justice is delayed.
The case involving a father accused of raping his daughter has been withdrawn on the very day it was going to trial.
A crowd of gender-based violence activists and community members gathered outside the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on September 6, where they had expected to demonstrate the whole day and the next.
“Protect our daughters.” “If your husband is abusing you, do not fall in love with him.” “All rapists must rot in jail.” “Genoeg is genoeg!” Chanted the crowd as they marched about and presented their signs all morning, but as it turned out that was as far as their protests would go.
The girl – 18 years old now but who was 16 at the time of the alleged rape – had initially accused her father of raping her in her bedroom in November 2020 as part of his birthday present to himself.
She then told the court she would withdraw the case.
Her mother would later liaise with the protesters and Randburg Sun and said the reason her daughter would not prosecute now after about 10 months of court appearances, was because her father was paying her school fees and she could not prosecute him at this stage, though she may at another time.
“I am not satisfied with how it turned out and it only did so because the father was granted bail,” the mother told Randburg Sun.
She added that her relationship with her daughter has since broken down and the girl has left home.
“She refused to talk… the case was withdrawn, due to advice from the protector,[prosecutor?] who felt it is best this way; if at a later date she wants to take up the case she can. But if we had to insist on going on, the case would be dismissed and he would get off scot-free,” said Free World Initiative founder and CEO, Lebogang Motau.
“We feel it is so sad and it highlights the need for [alleged] perpetrators not to be given bail as he has had free contact with the survivor and was able to influence her.”
GBV coordinator for the office of the MEC for Community Safety, Bheki Kubheka agreed the provision of bail to rape accused is a problem.
“We are here to plead with magistrates and investigating officers, because they are the ones who decide if the accused receive bail,” he said.
“They must take up rape cases, which we see so much of, and not allow these people to have bail.”
Editor’s note: Randburg Sun is aware of the identity of the accused but will not divulge his name, in order to protect the identity of the victim. This publication will also not publish the name of the girl’s mother, because her daughter could also be identified that way.
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