Jason Venter has been waiting for his mother’s alleged killer to go on trial in South Africa for more than two years, living a life in limbo and hoping to get some closure after her death.The problem is that the country’s legal system is jammed up and there are tens of thousands of other cases waiting to be heard.The courts are overwhelmed, with backlogs now so severe that some accused are being given trial dates as far away as four years, violating the principle that justice delayed is justice denied.Some observers argue that this chips away at faith in the legal system, especially worrying for a country affected by some of the highest crime rates in the world.Jason, 27, knows the pain of court delays all too well – and says each postponement feels like losing his mother, Charlene, all over again.With his warm voice betrayed by the sadness on his face, he tells the BBC: “She was my best friend. Everyone who knew her loved her. She was always trying to make the people in her life happy.
That’s how I remember her, as someone kind and loving.”Charlene was 43 and enjoying life as a new grandmother when she was killed in May 2023. She was set alight in her car in what police allege was an act of gender-based violence. She later died in hospital from her injuries.
