Cape Town – Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development has expressed shock at the killing of a state witness inside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
The witness was shot dead earlier today, Tuesday, (8 April 2025).
“The victim sustained gunshot wounds to his body and was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel,” police said in a statement.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development Xola Nqola said: “Criminals have become so brazen that they do not care who they shoot or where they shoot“.
“I struggle to comprehend how these criminals can take a court and turn it into a murder scene.
“This is a brazen attack where criminals fear no one.
“It is totally unacceptable.
“What is more worrying is the fact that these brutal attackers walked into a court building whilst armed when they shot the witness in the lobby.
“The question now is, how did they manage to enter the building with firearms without being detected?”
Nqola said during last month’s oversight visit to various courts in KwaZulu-Natal, the committee found most of the metal detectors not functioning.
“It was not working, and we raised that concern to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as well as the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, highlighting the exact concern of the safety of all inside the building,” Nqola said.
“We need to revisit the security at all our courts for the safety of the Judges, magistrates, advocates, lawyers, and the public daily, unsuspectingly assuming they are safe when entering the buildings.”
Meanwhile, The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has strongly condemned the “barbaric act of violence”.
The ATM said: “This heinous crime not only represents a blatant disregard for South African law but also signifies a dangerous erosion of public trust in our judicial system and its ability to protect those who bravely come forward with vital information”.
The ATM added: “This year began with the brutal murder of Ashwin Mouwers just minutes before he was to testify as a key witness in an incident that serves as a chilling reminder of the systemic failures within our witness protection program.
“Such violence undermines the very foundation of justice, instilling fear in potential witnesses and discouraging citizens from stepping forward with critical information that could help solve the heinous crimes plaguing our communities.”
The ATM said it believes that the safety of witnesses is paramount, and the current lack of effective protection measures is unacceptable.
“This case is not an isolated incident; South Africa has witnessed a series of similar tragedies,” the party said.
“The assassinations of Sicelubuhle Moyo, a domestic worker killed outside the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, and Christine Gumira, who was shot after testifying in Cape Town, along with the tragic murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, underscore the grave risks that witnesses face,” said the ATM.
“These cases reveal a disturbing pattern of violence against those who dare to speak the truth, and the ATM calls for immediate action to address these systemic vulnerabilities.
“We call upon the government and relevant authorities to take immediate and decisive action to restore faith in our justice system.”
