GBV: Convicted Western Cape rapist on the loose a ‘direct threat to women’s safety’

As gender-based violence (GBV) returns to the spotlight amid the recent deaths of more women in South Africa, the DA has questioned the release of a convicted rapist.

36-year-old Nzalama Mlondobozi was allegedly killed by her romantic partner in Limpopo last month. A week later, the body of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale was found dumped in Johannesburg.

On Sunday, 14-year-old Lukhona Fose was discovered in an empty field in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, Gauteng.

Now, authorities in the Western Cape are on the hunt for the criminal after an administrative error led to his release from custody.

The man, believed to be in his early 20s, was part of a group of young men serving part of their sentences at a Youth Centre because of their age.

Their crimes include murder, rape, and robbery.

However, after attacking a staff member, the Horizon Child and Youth Centre approached the court for them to be taken to Pollsmoor Prison.

They were admitted to the facility on 18 July 2024 and given a court date later that month. However, they never returned to the facility.

Instead, according to the Department of Correctional Services, the court order outlining their detention status was sent to Horizon.

Despite the administrative blunder that resulted in the three being released, two were later apprehended and detained on separate charges.

Missing prisoners

DA MP Nicholas Gotsell said during an oversight visit at Pollsmoor Prison last month that he discovered not all inmates were accounted for.

“The DA uncovered this scandal during an unannounced oversight visit to Pollsmoor two weeks ago, which revealed that two of the three criminals were no longer in custody.

“This directly contradicts the minister’s written assurance to parliament on 12 May that all three remained detained,” he said.

Gotsell said that one of the two convicts was later arrested, thanks to the help of whistleblowers and the community.

“Even more concerning is that police has reportedly still not been informed of the missing rapist, and there is no confirmation that the victims have been notified,” he said.

Gotsell said he is shocked that there are loopholes in the criminal justice system.

“The DA has written again to the chairperson of the select committee on security and justice to demand urgent appearances by both [the minister of justice and the minister of correctional services].

“The officials who misled parliament on 12 May must be removed from any internal investigations due to a clear conflict of interest,” he said.

Minister of Correctional Services Dr Pieter Groenewald denied that the department had misled parliament on the matter, and said he would be willing to appear before the committee.

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Finding the last prisoner a priority

Gotsell said the apprehension of the last convict should be a priority for the police and correctional services.

“In a country ravaged by gender-based violence, the failure to offer an assurance that the departments in the criminal justice system are determined to re-apprehend the rapist who has fallen through the cracks.

“This is more than just an administrative failure; it is a direct threat to women’s safety,” he told The Citizen.

‘DCS could not lawfully detain individuals’

Explaining the administrative error, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) stated that, because it did not have the necessary documentation for further detention, they could not legally hold the convicts.

“It is important to emphasise that remand detainees are transported to court by police, and DCS received no court orders (J7 warrants) for continued detention following these appearances.

“Without these legal documents, DCS could not lawfully detain individuals beyond their scheduled court appearances.”

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