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Recently, over the past weekend, an elderly lady within the Moutse area in Ntoane , died, and the SAPS in their investigation into her death declared that she had died from natural causes. This after the SAPS in the area conducted an investigation detailing the cause of death as –“Natural causes!”Circumstances that lead up to this event, is to be that the deceased on Tuesday last, collected her pension grant, and then proceeded to buy basic food items and then proceeded to her house.
On arrival at the house, where she stays alone, she was apparently overpowered, allegedly raped and all of her personal belongings including the groceries that she apparently bought, stolen during the incident.
Her dead body left in the house and the perpetrators fleeing the scene.On Saturday the neighbours started to wonder why they had not seen her, for such a prolonged period of time, and alerted the family of this, as they assumed that she was visiting them. On being told that she was not, and investigation conducted at the house, revealed that she was in fact dead, and had been dead for some time.
On alerting the police to the scene, the SAPS concluded that she had died of natural causes, but on closer scrutiny it became clear that she had in actual fact been raped, robbed, and killed, with bruises to the back of her head, which indicated that she had been hit with a blunt object.
Yet amazingly the SAPS wanted to conclude the matter that it was a natural death, and in that way, eliminating the work that had to be done, in view of the real reason for her departure, of having to investigate and prosecute those that are responsible for the sad state of affairs.This is but a mere indication of the slack attitude that the SAPS is displaying in their mandate in the area.
A previous incident where an elderly person, who was selling bus tickets to supplement her meager income, was robbed of the cash that she had on her, and irrespective of her knowing the perpetrators, and having evidence in the form of a cap worn by one of her attackers, which in essence makes out a prima facia case, the SAPS considered the matter as irrelevant to investigate.This is but two recent incidents were attackers, robbers, murderers are ‘getting away with the immoral acts that are happening in the area.’
Two other cases, of which the case number are known (Case no 99/06/2013 and 168/10/2013) have been gathering dust without any investigation being done, and this in essence confirms that fact that the residents in the area are not enjoying their right to be protected as the SAPS act with blasé on matters that are serious and urgent which infringes the safety of the residents in the area.
It has also become clear that the SAPS in the area, have not been trained properly, as many cases which has been taken to court has been thrown out, due to the fact that the SAPS member who at the time, took the statement, and compiled the charge sheet, was never properly trained and as a consequence compiled documents that would not suffice in a court of law to prove that those charge are guilty of the alleged crime, and that the investigation and documents compiled, met with the minimum requirements to prove without a shadow of doubt the guilt of the person charged.
This kind of modus operandi displayed by the SAPS is alarming in the community and if not stopped and the SAPS taken responsibility for what is happening and investigating matters properly, is causing the community to act on their own (gorilla justice) and that is something that needs to be prevented at all cost.
The MEC of Safety & Police, Minister, and all stakeholders and role-players need to as a matter of urgency investigate the status quo of the SAPS in the area, and take the necessary ameliorated remedial action to correct the wrongs, and prevent matters that should never be.
