Cape Town - In massive blow to the fight against gender-based violence and femicide, the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety has revealed that 77 cases related to gender-based violence had been struck off the court roll within six months as a result of police inefficiencies.
In a statement released on Sunday, it revealed that between October and March this year, the second and third quarter reports of the Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety’s (POCS) Court Watching Briefs (CWB) unit, show that 283 cases monitored during this period at 33 courts, linked to 82 SAPS stations in the Western Cape, were struck off the court rolls due to police inefficiencies.
The courts monitored are located in Khayelitsha, Bishop Lavis, Blue Downs, Strand, Philippi, Mitchells Plain, Bellville, Wynberg, Athlone, Goodwood, Kuils River, Atlantis, Malmesbury, Paarl, Vredenburg, Ceres, Clanwilliam, Vredendal, Oudtshoorn, George, Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna.
Of the 283 cases, 77 were gender-based violence related, while the other 206 matters, among others include assault-grievous bodily harm, murder, aggravated robbery, possession and dealing in drugs and possession of firearms and ammunition.
Inefficiencies included cases withdrawn because dockets were not at court; investigation was incomplete; forensic reports were outstanding; accused were not brought to court; and witnesses were not subpoenaed.
In the 77 GBV-related cases, 22 cases were withdrawn as the dockets were not at the court, while 48 cases were withdrawn due to an incomplete investigation.
The top 3 police stations over the two quarters in all 283 matters, where dockets were not at court are: Knysna (6), Vredendal (4) and George (3).
The top 3 police stations over the two quarters in all 283 matters with the highest numbers of incomplete investigations are: Lutzville (12), Kraaifontein (8), and Kuils River (6).
Mayco member for Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen said he would be engaging with the provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile to find out whether officers liable would be held accountable.
“We have made a number of recommendations based on these findings,” he said.
“One of them is that SAPS should develop an improvement plan to minimise the number of cases that are struck off the roll due to their inefficiencies,” he said.
“I will also engage the Western Cape director of public prosecutions, advocate Nicolette Bell, as we have to gain insight into what has to improve to ensure these types of results are not repeated.
“I am aware that there is a standard operating procedure between investigators and prosecutors, and it has to be ascertained where the breakdown is. Our people who are victims deserve better across the board, and we have to work towards eradicating these shortcomings.”