The mother of murdered 17-year-old Cytheria Rex said she has been left in shock as a magistrate has yet to be appointed to conduct the sentencing, 17 years after the brutal rape and killing. MP Nicholas Gotsell, DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice, is calling on the Judge President to intervene after previously writing to the Minister of Mmamoloko Kubayi, asking why Rex’s case was not prioritised. In response to Gotsell, the Minister said via a parliamentary question that the main reason for the delay was due to the accused and systematic reasons, relating to lawyers and judicare, magistrates’ absenteeism, witnesses, and typed court records.
Next month, February 21, marks the 17th anniversary of Cytheria’s 2009 Kraaifontein murder. On Monday, Virgil Sass, Oswill Grootboom, Imeraan Hendricks, Lee Cloete, and Rhonwen Rhode, who were convicted of Cytheria’s murder in November 2024, heard that there was no magistrate appointed as yet to preside over the sentencing. Two of the accused have since died.
The case has been transferred between two courthouses, Blue Downs Regional Court and Strand Regional Court, to accommodate the previous magistrate, Deon van der Spuy, who had fallen ill last year and was unable to continue with the case – which is believed to be the longest-running trial in South Africa. This week, Eric Ntabazalila, Regional Communications for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), confirmed the delay: “Please note that the matter has been postponed until August 26 to appoint a magistrate in terms of Section 275 to do the sentencing.” Cytheria’s mother, Jacqueline Rex, was left speechless: “I am in too much shock; I need to absorb this.” Gotsell called on the Judge President to intervene. “The delays in driving this matter to a conclusion have been nothing short of a travesty of justice; for the victim and her family, but also for women and children – vulnerable members of our society,” he told Cape Argus.
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