A rape teen survivor's fight for justice ends in heartbreak after police and court failures cause the case to collapse. Image: Supplied.
(The Post News)– A mother of a 15-year-old girl in the Western Cape, South Africa, expresses dissatisfaction with the South African Police Services after her daughter’s rape case was dropped. According to the mother, the case was dropped after they missed a court date that they were unaware of.
Daughter Goes Missing at Night
On April 31, 2024, in Lotus, Gugulethu, a mother’s desperate search for her missing daughter ended in horror when her daughter returned home injured and bleeding after she had been raped. The mother told The Post News that she had been visiting her when she returned home to find her youngest son alone and her daughter not home in the evening. With her daughter not used to being out in the evening, she became worried and went to search for her a a neighbour. But they could not find her.
Moments after the mother returned from searching for her daughter, the girl, 15 at the time, knocked on the door, clearly in distress. “She had blood on her dress,” the mother said. “When I asked her what happened, she said she had fallen. But I was not convinced. I told her that there is no way you fall and bleed like that from the front.”
Doctors Confirm Rape
As they were still talking, the mother noticed that she was heavily bleeding. She called out to her neighbors, who assisted with the girl and called the police. The mother asserted that the police took them to KTC Hospital, where they were referred to Thuthuzela Care Centre. There, because of the heavy bleeding, they were referred to the day hospital, where they spent the night. They were later referred back to Thuthuzela Care Centre, where doctors confirmed severe internal injuries consistent with sexual assault.
The mother revealed that the doctors said her daughter may not be able to have children in the future. Meanwhile, the family’s hopes for justice quickly unraveled. With the help of the community, a man who was seen in the area on the evening of the incident was identified as a suspect and arrested. However, delays, inadequate documentation, and a lack of follow-up plagued the police inquiry.
The mother has accused the investigating officer of failing to take statements on time. She claimed that the officer relied on verbal accounts and pictures provided by community members for evidence. Moreover, the suspect had claimed that he and the victim were romantically involved. However, his cell phone was examined and provided no proof of a relationship with the victim.
One of the neighbors, Phumza, confirmed the girl told them she was raped by the man, who lured her toward his house under false pretenses and dragged her inside. Phumza was later called to submit a statement but says her statement was never taken.
Police Drop the Case
Over a year later, the case has been dropped not because of a lack of evidence, but due to failures in police procedure and court management. On August 1, 2025, the mother received a devastating call, informing her that the case had been dropped. “The officer said we missed a court date; apparently we were supposed to appear on the 10th of June,” she recalled. She added that she was never informed of the court date.
Moreover, the suspect had been out on bail, with a condition that he not return to the area, yet witnesses reported seeing him in the mother’s yard. According to the mother, the police were called but reportedly issued only a warning.
The family believes the justice system failed them at every step, from slow police response to court mismanagement. Despite medical evidence, community testimony, and a positive identification, the case was allowed to collapse. “My only worry is what will this do to my child? What if the suspect comes back here?” The mother asked. “My daughter was never a forgetful person, but after the incident, she has become forgetful,” she explained. The family, together with neighbors, is currently looking for a way forward in terms of having the case reopened.
The Post News journalist Vuyiseka tried to get hold of the police to get their side. Howevwe, at the time of publishing the story, they were still unreachable. An update will follow as soon as we reach them.
Please share your thoughts by contacting: journalist-Vuyiseka@thepostnews.net
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