IT'S been a year since the eight women who had been filming a music video at an abandoned mine in Krugersdorp on the West Rand were attacked, robbed and raped by a group of zama zamas.
When the horrific incident stole the headlines and made national news in 2022, Police Minister Bheki Cele stood confidently in front of members of the media and assured them they have unleashed "serious resources" and had arrested those suspected to have been behind the heinous crime.
But this victory did not last long after Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokeswoman Phindi Mjonodwane dropped the bomb in October 2022 that the charges against the 14 men arrested were dropped because the DNA collected from the victims did not link the accused to the crime.
"Upon consultation with the complainants and evidential material currently at the disposal of the NPA, it became apparent that there's insufficient evidence to proceed with the prosecution," Mjonondwane said at the time.
This left many hanging months and more questions as to what would happen.
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On Monday 31 July, Gauteng spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo set the record straight to Daily Sun and said there were no updates on the case since the suspects were not linked to the rape.
He further said that the investigating team was still busy with investigations.
The victims now sit in their homes with little to no hope in the justice system, as they feel let down and robbed at a chance to justice.
The mother of a victim told City Press that the police had sold the whole nation fake promises.
“We have lost confidence in the justice system because a year later no arrests have been made,” she told the publication.
Reacting to the slow pace of the case, Siyabulela Jentile, founder and president of the social movement #NotInMyName International, said this speaks to the level of incompetence within the criminal justice system that continues to let perpetrators walk free.
“We are angry with this case. It has been a year. People were arrested but let go. Things in that community still remain the same ever since Cele came and left. The only thing we are getting is they are still investigating,” he said.
Siyabulela said that the nature of this case does not deserve to go cold and be forgotten, instead more noise needed to be made until justice was served.
