The EFF and other political parties have slammed the NPA's decision to delay the case of the 14 suspects accused of raping eight women at West Village in July 2022. Members of the parties, including DA and EFF, gathered outside Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court ahead of the court appearance of the accused.
Thirteen of the 14 accused, including a minor, appeared briefly in court, and their case was subsequently postponed to 28 November as the state continues its investigation following the linking of some of the suspects through DNA.
State prosecutors indicated that they needed more time to finalise their investigations, which is why the case was postponed to 28 November 2022. However, members of the community and political parties accused the NPA of trying to sabotage the case after it was revealed that the minor would be tried in the same court process as the other accused, with members of the community and media barred from entering the courtroom due to there being a minor among the suspects.
EFF deputy secretary General Poppy Mailola said they would be challenging the decision to bar the public from the courtroom, adding that the EFF is disturbed by the NPA's attempt to shield and protect the suspected rapists.
"We are shocked and sad as the EFF on the way the proceedings are being conducted inside court. We are told by the senior prosecutor that amongst thr accused in this matter is a minor. We are told that that is the reason they cannot allow members of the media to be inside court. That is what we are asking as the EFF as to why does the court decide to prosecute the case with a minor who is amongst these men. They should have taken the minor and put him on a separate court procedure, " Mailula said.
Mailula, who addressed members of the party and the media outside the court, also said the party would be taking up the issue with the NPA and accused the NPA of trying to protect the suspects.
"They are trying to protect the identities of these men who are monsters and who are raping our children so that when they get bail, they can go and rape other women in other areas. So, we are saying we want to send a strong message to the NPA that you know very well that a minor is amongst the accused. They should set up a proper procedures so that the public can know and share the identities of these men. This is another method of silencing women, "she said.
Karabo Manyama of ActionSA shared Mailola's sentiments, saying there should have been a separate court process for the minor to ensure his identity was kept secret.
"I asked the prosecutors why we were not allowed inside in court and why the cases were not separated so they could protect the minor and I was told that this is a single case and therefore could not separate the court processes. So we will all suffer from being privileged enough to be in the courtroom and get to understand what is going on in terms of the proceedings, "Manyama said.
Manyaba said ActionSA would push to have members of the public allowed inside the court when the trial resumes on 28 November.
" We are saying, come 28 November, we will be inside the court room as ActionSA. We understand that the media might not be allowed to set foot inside court but we will be there to share what is happening with the proceedings. What happened today is the first and the last. We have seen that there are underhanded tactics being used and taking place, and it seems that there are members of certain parties that are allowed to go in, " she said.