Questions have been raised over the handling of a rape, housebreaking and robbery case after a Table View resident was informed that her case had been closed just two and a half weeks after it was reported.

According to Nicholas Gotsell, DA Member of Parliament, in a video posted on social media, the resident reported the matter at Table View Police Station on 4 June and later approached him after receiving an SMS informing her that the case had been closed.

Gotsell said he immediately took the matter up with the station commander, who responded to the complaint  and ensured that the case was reopened for investigation.

“The station commander immediately responded to it and the case is now being investigated again,” Gotsell said.

The case is reportedly now being investigated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.

Questions over the two-week period

Gotsell said the circumstances surrounding the closure raised serious questions, particularly given the nature of the allegations and the forensic evidence reportedly collected during the investigation.

“Of equal concern is the recording of a telephone conversation between the complainant and an officer from this station which shows a complete lack of understanding for the trauma and for the pain that this rape victim has had to go through,” he said.

Gotsell said he was working with the complainant to lodge a formal complaint directly with the police regarding the interaction with the officers involved.

“We cannot have rape victims go through another trauma when they have to complain about what has happened to them,” he said. “This is an extremely serious matter and I’m currently working with the complainant to lodge a one-on-one complaint against the officers involved.”

He said the FCS unit was now investigating the case, but said concerns remained about what happened during the period in which the complainant believed her case was receiving the police’s attention.

“The concern is what happened in the two and a half weeks when the complainant thought that her matter was receiving the police’s full attention,” he said.

Forensic evidence concerns

The incident comes against the backdrop of wider concerns raised by Gotsell about the availability of forensic resources for rape survivors. Gotsell has previously raised concerns that rape victims may struggle to access forensic evidence against alleged perpetrators because rape kits are reportedly unavailable at some police stations.

The issue emerged during oversight visits to several police stations on the Cape Flats, according to Gotsell.

“Serious violent crime, gang activity and sexual offences remain a daily reality on the Cape Flats, yet key FCS units tasked with assisting rape victims are operating without usable rape kits,” he said.

Calls for accountability

Gotsell said the complainant’s experience highlighted the need for victims of sexual violence to be treated with sensitivity and for complaints about police conduct to receive proper attention.

He said he would continue engaging with the complainant and the police to ensure that both the criminal investigation and the complaint about the handling of the matter receive attention.

The reopening of the case means investigators will now continue with the investigation into the allegations of rape, housebreaking and robbery. The FCS unit’s involvement places the sexual-offence component of the investigation with a specialised police unit.

Gotsell said the matter would continue to receive his attention while he assists the complainant with her complaint against the officers involved.

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