Mitchell’s Plain domestic violence activists are working together to better support survivors and to raise awareness in the community.
Yesterday, Tuesday April 2, they protested outside Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court where a man accused of setting a woman alight appeared for a possible bail application.
The burnt body of a 40-year-old woman was found in Rockies Circle, Tafelsig, at about 6am on Friday March 22.
SAPS Western Cape spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, said an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause of death. “The incident is domestic related,” he said.
A 64-year-old man was arrested in connection with this case and first appeared in Mitchell’s Plain Magistrates’ Court on Monday March 25. He was due back in court yesterday.
Members of the SAFE Platform Mitchell’s Plain, an umbrella body of organisations co-ordinating the prevention and response to domestic violence, held a community dialogue and pamphleteering campaign at Town Centre library on Wednesday March 27.
In addition to Mitchell’s Plain, the SAFE-PR (Strengthening Actors For Effective-Prevention Response) project also has SAFE Platforms in Philippi and Paarl.
The SAFE Platform Mitchell’s Plain awareness programme coincided with the 20-year prison term sentencing of Mandalay resident Sandile Paul Jekwa on March 27 for murdering Cleo Diko.
Ms Diko’s body was found on Friday January 27 last year after Lentegeur police followed information to Jekwa’s house in Mandalay.
Ms Diko was last seen with him on October 14 in 2022, when a missing person’s report was filed.
According to the police report while searching, officers discovered bedding that contained blood stains.
They then noticed a carpet that had been cut and upon lifting the carpet, they noticed that the flooring was tampered with.
The SAPS dog unit was then called in to assist and they uncovered a shallow grave where the body, wrapped in a blanket, was found.
At the time SAPS investigators were given information by the community police forum (CPF) and residents.
Linda Jones, Mitchell’s Plain United Residents’ Association and Mitchell’s Plain CPF court co-ordinator, said: “No amount of years given will bring her (Ms Diko) back. The only satisfying sentence would have been the death penalty. But that is no longer part of our law and that is also why we are faced with such hideous crimes.
“No sentence given will deter another would-be perpetrator; as we do know and get to experience today, out tomorrow – that is our plight and only we can change that.”
Ms Jones thanked everyone for playing a part in finding Ms Diko’s body, to the perpetrator’s arrest, his conviction and now sentencing. “We are grateful,” she said.
Eric Ntabazalila, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Western Cape spokesman, said if family members have concerns around the sentence, they are invited to meet with the senior public prosecutor at the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court to discuss these concerns.
Advocate Nicolette Bell, director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape, welcomed the sentence and hoped it would send a message that “gender-based violence and femicide have no place in our society”.
“The NPA’s efforts to fight this scourge are paying off as we see more and more perpetrators of such heinous crimes being sent to prison for a long time,” she said.
The court declared Jekwa unfit to possess a firearm and it ordered the prosecutor who dealt with the case to inform the relatives of the deceased, Ms Diko, of their right to make representations should the accused be considered for parole.
