Action Society demands justice for Cytheria Rex after 17 years of delays in the justice system
Cytheria Rex was raped and murdered in February 2009.
Image: File
Civic organisation, Action Society has penned an urgent letter to the Honourable Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court, citing systematic failure regarding the 17 year murder case of Cytheria Rex.
Two weeks ago, Eric Ntabazalia, Regional Communications for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the matter was postponed to August 26, for the appointment of a Magistrate to conduct the sentencing.
Her killers, Virgil Sass, Oswill Grootboom, Imeraan Hendricks, Lee Cloete, Rhonwen Rhode were convicted of her murder at the Strand Regional Court in November 2024, while two other accused have since died.
Action Society said it had formally escalated its concerns to the Western Cape Division of the High Court after sentencing in the brutal rape and murder of Cytheria was postponed in January, 415 days after her killers were convicted.
“Cytheria was raped and stabbed 30 times. Almost seventeen years later, her family remains trapped in a cycle of delay and uncertainty, forced to endure repeated postponements while the men responsible for this extreme violence continue to avoid final sentencing," said Action Society.
"Cytheria Rex was murdered in Kraaifontein in 2009 after being raped and subjected to a sustained and frenzied knife attack. The severity of her injuries reflected a level of violence that shocked the community and should have placed the case among the highest priorities of the criminal justice system.
“Instead, the matter became one of the longest-running murder trials in South African history, plagued by almost seventeen years of systemic dysfunction. According to official information referenced by Action Society, the case has been postponed at least 128 times since being placed on the trial roll in 2009."
It said in a formal letter dated January 30 , Action Society wrote to the Honourable Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court, raising serious concerns about case flow management and systemic delays in exceptionally long-running criminal matters.
“This was not a minor offence or a technical matter. This was a rape followed by a savage killing,” said Juanita du Preez, national spokesperson for Action Society. “When a case involving this level of brutality is postponed more than a hundred times and still cannot reach finality almost seventeen years later, the harm extends far beyond one family.
"It signals a systemic failure that demands judicial leadership and institutional intervention.”
Cape Argus previously sent queries to the Ministry of Justice but have yet to receive feedback.
Previously, MP Nicholas Gotsell, DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice also called on the Judge President to intervene after previously writing to Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, 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.
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