Criminal cases grinding to a halt across the country
A growing number of serious criminal cases in South Africa are falling through the cracks, with investigations stalling due to forensic delays, poor oversight and a breakdown in communication with victims' families. Civil society group Action Society has sounded the alarm after writing to senior police officials in the past week, demanding urgent intervention in multiple cases that have apparently reached a dead end.
The organisation highlighted several matters — including a murder and cases involving the sexual assault of minors — which it says reflect a disturbing national trend. Investigations are losing steam, forensic processes are failing, and the relatives of victims are being left without answers as months and even years slip by without meaningful progress.
Among the cases flagged is the 2024 murder of 87-year-old Ellen Malan, who was killed at her home in Tafelsig. The matter was reported at the Mitchells Plain police station, yet more than twelve months on, her family has received no substantial update. Previous police feedback indicated that DNA testing had to be repeated after initial samples proved inconclusive, while the post-mortem report and crime scene photographs remained outstanding. No further written communication has been provided since.
Children's cases languishing without resolution
A second case involves the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl, first reported over two years ago. The dossier was previously found in the archives at the Mfuleni police station, and an investigating officer acknowledged that four witness statements were still needed before the matter could return to court. No update has been received since that admission.
In a third matter, an alleged rape of a child dating back to 2019 appears to have been closed without the accused ever being interviewed — despite the victim now being willing to speak with a forensic social worker. Action Society says the common threads running through these cases point to deep systemic dysfunction within the criminal justice system.
"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."
That warning came from Juanita du Preez, Action Society's national spokesperson, who told media that the scale of the problem is becoming increasingly alarming. She pointed to the collapse of forensic capacity and investigative oversight as key factors compounding the crisis, noting that when laboratories cannot process DNA evidence timeously, when dockets vanish into archives, and when detectives neglect basic leads, cases inevitably go cold.
"Families who have already experienced immense 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."
Du Preez added that the communication vacuum is eroding public confidence in law enforcement. The organisation stressed that transparency and accountability are non-negotiable if the criminal justice system hopes to rebuild trust within communities. Action Society has demanded urgent written responses from the relevant authorities on all three matters and warned that the cases will be escalated to national bodies should adequate feedback not be forthcoming.
"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."
The organisation confirmed it would continue monitoring progress on each of the highlighted investigations closely.
