Photo for illustration. (Archive photo: Isabel Venter/Maroela Media)
Action Society warns that South Africa is increasingly facing a crisis, with serious criminal cases stagnating due to investigative failure, forensic backlogs and inadequate oversight.
According to the organization, in the past week they have addressed formal letters to leadership within the police and requested urgent intervention in several serious cases which have apparently come to a standstill.
This includes, among other things, a murder case and cases of sexual assault of children.
Action Society says these cases point to a worrying pattern nationwide where investigations lose momentum, forensic processes collapse and communication with victims’ families breaks down.
As months and years pass without meaningful progress, cases are in danger of remaining unresolved, Action Society says.
One of the cases highlighted is the murder of Ellen Malan (87), who was murdered in her home in Tafelsig in 2024.
The case has been registered with the police in Mitchells Plain.
More than a year later, Malan’s family is still waiting for meaningful progress.
According to previous feedback from the police, DNA tests had to be repeated because initial samples did not yield useful results. The post-mortem report and photographs of the crime scene were also outstanding. No further written feedback has since been provided to the family.
In a second case, Action Society requested urgent attention regarding the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl, which has been going on for more than two years since the offense was reported. The dossier was previously in the archive at the police in Mfuleni, and an investigating officer indicated that four outstanding witness statements still had to be obtained before the case could go to court again. Since then, no further feedback has been received.
A third case involves an alleged rape of a child in 2019. The case was also reported to the police. The accused was reportedly never interviewed and the case was reportedly closed without further investigation, despite the fact that the victim is now ready to speak to a forensic social worker.
“When forensic laboratories cannot process DNA evidence in time, when files disappear into archives and when investigators fail to follow up on basic leads, cases inevitably go unsolved.” (Archive photo: Canva)
Action Society says the similarities between these cases point to a wider systemic failure within the criminal justice system.
Juanita du Preez, the organisation’s national spokesperson, says there is increasing concern about the scale of the problem.
“Right across the country we see more and more serious cases just losing momentum. Murder cases and cases of sexual assault of children remain open for years while investigations stagnate, evidence is delayed and families struggle to get even basic feedback about what is going on.”
She warns that the collapse of forensic capacity and investigative oversight is exacerbating the situation.
“When forensic laboratories cannot process DNA evidence in time, when files disappear into archives and when investigators fail to follow up on basic leads, cases inevitably go unsolved.”
Du Preez says the lack of communication with victims’ families is also a major source of concern.
“Families who have already experienced tremendous trauma should not have to fight simply to get information about the progress of an investigation. In many of the cases we work with, families are left in the dark for months or even years.”
According to Action Society, this lack of communication also contributes to growing distrust in the police.
“When victims and their families cannot get basic communication about cases, public trust in the police disappears. Transparency and accountability are essential if the criminal justice system is to regain the trust of communities.”
The organization requested urgent written feedback from the relevant authorities in all three cases and indicated that the cases will be referred to national bodies if sufficient response is not received.
Du Preez says Action Society will continue to closely monitor the investigations.
“Every investigation that stagnates represents a family waiting for justice. If we allow these cases to quietly disappear into the system, we are essentially telling victims that their cases don’t matter. Action Society will continue to press for answers until these families get the justice they deserve.”